Our Precious Sundays

By Serialong Lebasa – How I wish! Yes, I wish I wish I had given up the warmth of my sheets on Sunday mornings

Oh, how I wish

How I wish I had been able to foresee beyond March 2020 and have a glimpse of what was coming

Oh, if I had

If I had foreseen the future, I would have given up the warmth of my sheets Oh yes, I would

I would have left the comfort of my “Cloud Nine” mattress

Oh, I would If only I had known that the time would come when that mattress would lose its warmth.

Oh, how I wish I wish I could turn back the horns of time,

Oh, if I could

If I could, I would bring back the times when I could differentiate Sundays, Oh, if I could

If I could, I would leave the warmth of my sheets and embrace the lovely Sundays

Yes, I would

I would shiver through the freezing winters and embrace the Sundays And drive though those rainy Sundays I would say, “Bring it on!”

How I desperately wish I wish I could have had a premonition Yes, just a whisper, warning me that those Sundays were precious That one day the same precious Sundays would become the “must stay at home” days

Oh, if I had known If I had, I would have clung to my lovely Sundays

Yes, I would

Because I would know that one day I would miss them That one day I would be “locked-down” and not be able to visit my church

Oh, how I wish I had known If only I had known that the “two-metre” gap Yes, that gap I used to leave between myself and my fellow congregant, The same congregant sitting next to me in church

How I wish God could have warned me At least given me a sign that the day would come Yes, the day when I would be forced to “social distance’’ and stay away from that fellow congregant.
Today I so I wish I could just see my fellow worshippers and sit as to them as I could.

Oh, how I still wish I had known! Only if I had been seer! If I had been one, I would have foreseen the future

Yes, the present future Where my ears can no longer hear the church choir missing the tune while praising the Lord in church

The current future Where I can no longer glance at my watch when the priest is busy with the homily

Indeed, the new future; Where I can no longer ignore that fellow worshipper during the sign of peace

Yes, the current new normal Where I can no longer rush to my house when there is a meet and greet in the church hall;

Oh, how I miss them all

How I wish I had known that one day these precious moments would be taken away The moments lent to me to wake up on Sunday to attend Mass Sitting closer with no two-metre gap between myself and the person next to me The voices of the church choir—whether in or out of tune The opportunity to sing along with the choir The priest’s sermons—whether boring or inspiring The opportunity to offer the sign of peace to fellow congregants Meeting and sharing smiles with fellow worshippers after church service

Alas, did Corona grant our wishes! No church, No singing,  No sitting close to other worshippers,  No spending a lot of time in church

Corona reminds us of the things we took for granted

Now I miss them…

Serialong Lebasa is a parishioner of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Vereeniging.