I woke up this morning with frost on the ground. It wasn’t particularly surprising, but it was unexpected. I suppose if this was any other march I may not have even noticed, after all I remember having snow on St. Patrick’s day and even a few inches on April first. I got thinking though, to someone unfamiliar with current events this month might look like any other March. They wouldn’t make note of how the canal wasn’t green this year, or the fact that universities shifted to online classes. If they noticed anything it would probably be the egregious amount of toilet paper in the carts at grocery checkout lines. When a person sneezes they might think “dang allergies,” or “bless you” instead of “Get away from me.” But this march is different, there is an uncertainty that weighs heavily on those waiting for the season to end. Whether you believe the Coronapocalypse is here or everyone is over reacting, the impact of recent events will likely attribute to long term shifts in cultural values. In times of widespread change, it can be helpful to recall the things that don’t.
As homes transform into offices, and groceries begin delivery, the catalyst of all this change provides little help in knowing when things, “go back to normal.” As an Investment Professional I get the unique opportunity to observe the companies and industry striving to accommodate the shifting demands of a nations in crisis. During times like these The questions that everyone seems to want to know is what will cause permanent change and what will only be “seasonal.”
Ecclesiastes chapter 3 argues, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” That was true this morning as I looked at the frost on trees, it was still true last week when I saw the markets down again,(a time to lose) and it will be true tomorrow when the sun sets on the forest and the trees glisten in its light (a time for beauty.)
When we look to the future and with questions about “how long this will last,” sometimes its more helpful to know that even if schools and churches keep their doors closed, there will still be a “season for everything under the sun.” The time for loss will be again eclipsed by the time for seeking, and the time to plant will be followed by the time to harvest, and the forgotten time for dancing will also return again. As children begin classes online and businesses shift to online meetings, it is important to remember that while everything seems to be changing, there will still be a season for everything and for the wise opportunities await.