Fear of Fragility?

When purchasing a gift by mail order a couple of weeks ago, I noticed that when it arrived the parcel had on it the familiar words; ‘Fragile. Handle with Care’.

I think that we should all have that label attached to us!

Many people feel fragile and all the more so due to the implications and effects of the current pandemic. And if people are fragile we need to treat one another with care.

‘Fragile. Handle with care’.

I have said in previous posts that I am suffering a bit of ‘COVID-malaise’. Even the prospect of my vaccination (just one day to go!) has not much raised my spirits. Not that I am in the depths of depression! But I am aware of a depletion of energy, a flatness of mood, a loss of motivation, and a longing for a return to doing the things I love and seeing the people I miss.

In this context, the many ‘encouraging’ posts on social media, or the unsolicited emails giving advice on how to maintain my mental health, successfully cope with Zoom meetings or (and – for me – this is the most irritating!) ‘build resilience’, just makes things worse. I don’t find ‘ten point plans for coping’ help me that much.

We could instead start by accepting that for many of us this is tough going, recognising that many people are struggling, and acknowledging that this is natural, normal and widespread. It is ok to simply accept that some folks are feeling fragile. All they may need is to be handled with care; to be listened to, acknowledged and accepted.

Or could it also be that we have a fear of fragility? Of course, that too is natural.

Those of us who take the Bible seriously must be aware that there is a great deal in Scripture about what today we might call fragility (think of Elijah after the confrontation with the prophets of Baal, for example, or what Jesus says about faith like a mustard seed, or what Paul wrote about his weakness and so on and on).

For me, I take a lot of comfort from the words of Isaiah;

 

‘He will not cry or lift his voice, or make it heard in the street;

a bruised reed he will not break,

a dimly burning wick he will not quench

he will faithfully bring forth justice.’

 

I find much greater assurance, comfort and hope in that (and less pressure to ‘be better’!) than in all the ‘advice’ about resilience.

What ever happened to simple caring? ‘Handle with care’.

I wonder if we have a fear of fragility?