“I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.” -2 Samuel 22:4 (NRSV)

My enemies have to be seen under a microscope, the tiny bits of protein called COVID 19 are stealthy, pervasive, deadly, and know no barriers. It’s been invited to choir practices, family reunions, nursing homes, cruises, schools, conventions, parties, and more.

I’ve become numb to COVID watching the news, patients on ventilators, hospital personnel in hazmat suits, people getting swabs stuck up their nose, lots of needles, massive cremations in India, people dying for lack of oxygen, millions of deaths, charts with lines going up instead of down, wearing masks a way of life, mind-numbing statistics and wash, wash, and wash.

So what is saving my life now? Walking. I have made a habit of walking thirty minutes or more every morning. Of course, there are days when I walk at a different time, or I am on a trip or there has been a ginormous snowfall and it is not safe, but still, I keep on walking.

My walk takes me to Eaglemont Golf Course, a round trip of about a mile and I encounter all kinds of weather, numbing cold, ice, snow, wind, warm, hot, chilly, thunderstorms, smokey and rain, rain, rain.

I also meet people along the way –that’s the best part of my walk, my walking buddies. It’s a time to stop and chat and find out what is going on in their lives, a time to greet my four-legged furry friends, a chance to hear good news, show empathy when I hear bad news, and the fact that we are physically able to enjoy God’s creation.

I also bring home objects that I find along the way. My husband Dennis never knows what surprises I will bring home. I have brought back rocks, bird feathers, salamanders, bird eggshells, leaves, a giant bullfrog (I picked him/her up about a quarter into my walk and carried the poor creature back home, took some photos and he got his first and only car ride back to the beaver pond near the clubhouse.), a VISA credit card, and cell phone photos of interesting objects.

So this is how I am saved from my enemy, COVID 19. I walk, I talk, I cry, I wish I could hug, I snuggle furry four-legged puppies, I pray and thank the Lord who is worthy to be praised.

Dear Lord in Heaven, thank you for people all over the world that have worked hard and continue to work on finding vaccines for COVID. Thank you for folks that have received the shots and continue to use masks and social distancing and thank you for your wonderful creation. Amen.
-Mary Ann Taylor