May Day in a Pandemic Year

As it's become more clear to me that we are going to be affected by this pandemic for much longer than a few weeks, I've also begun thinking about the future.  Does May Day change? 

Of course, May Day isn't a church holiday.  But let's think about the implications of past approaches to May Day, and how they might affect those of us who approach this day from a spiritual direction.

Traditionally, by which I mean centuries ago, we'd be celebrating spring.  We might leave baskets of flowers on the steps of our neighbors.  We might dance around a May Pole.

Clearly, we won't be dancing around a May Pole this year.  It's hard to do social distancing while weaving ribbons in and out.  And leaving flower baskets for our neighbors?  In these days when most of us have become germaphobes, what would my neighbors make of bouquets on the doorstep?

Still, we can enjoy the May flowers, if we live in a climate where there are flowers.  We can settle into a new season.  Lately I'd have told you we had zoomed on ahead to summer, but this morning the weather was much more like Spring.  These days are teaching me to appreciate what's right in front of me and resist worrying too far into the future.

On this May Day, I'm also thinking about how this holiday has been celebrated in more modern times.  I'm thinking about worker's rights and wondering how our approach to this holiday may change as we move through these pandemic times.

We are watching the idea of work change.  Many of us have discovered that we could work from home--and some of us are discovering the limits of working from home.

If we're paying attention at all, we may be thinking of the nature of work and which work should be protected.  Who is really an essential employee?  And how should we protect those workers?

These answers may change depending on the situation.  But one thing doesn't change.  God calls us to look out for those with fewer advantages.

These days, that field has expanded.  It seems that more and more of us have fewer and fewer protections.

If this pandemic could make us commit to more protection for more people, I'd be happy to celebrate that development at a future May Day.