Back in April, several weeks into stay-at-home, I heard someone refer to the constellation of Zoom working, physical distancing, and mask wearing as “the now normal.” They were intentional with the “now”–it’s not necessarily a “new” normal, but the normal for now.
Either the now was too short or the normal was too abnormal for too many, but whatever the reason we haven’t moved since the spring. The now normal is still with us, no longer new, but also not yet normal.
I’ve designed a year of youth ministry activities to be entirely remote. Maybe I won’t need the whole year. Maybe by winter or spring something will break for the better, but I’m not planning for that presumption. I’m planning as if now will be now for the next 9-12 months.
This is no lament. I’ve found it quite energizing to plan for this. Confirmation is getting a reset. Senior High is going to kick around policy issues related to the November elections. We’ve purchased a new dating and relationships curriculum. It’s going to be a good year. Abnormal, in the new normal way, and good.
YoRocko! 
This is an encouraging way of thinking, Rocky. Thank you. I think we “grownups” can benefit from it, too. It feels more encouraging than the term I picked up from when my parents were growing up, “for the duration.”