The state of humankind in April of 2020 is frazzled but even as we are frazzled, we aim to be kind. Of course, our condition is due to the pandemic created by COVID-19 aka the Corona Virus. Much else is going on in the world, but the immediate virulence of this virus has overtaken our thoughts and behaviors.
Most of us tell one another that we are “fine.” However, fine is superimposed upon much un-fineness. Saying we are fine means we are hanging in there, trying to do right as best we can. We try to do right for our own sake, for the sake of those near and dear to us and for the sake of society and humanity.
When we say we are fine, we mean either that no immediate disaster is facing us or our loved ones or else that we are striving to go beyond the disasters, illnesses, and deaths that we have seen or that we see coming. Being fine means that somehow we have the ability to cope and keep a positive outlook.
But, unfortunately, though we may be fine on some level, underneath our fineness, we are unfine or not fine. Here are the reasons why:
- We are fundamentally fearful, anxious and stressed. We are worried and afraid of what lies ahead. Primarily we are scared of the unknown. We do not know what will happen or how long the threat of this pandemic (worldwide epidemic) will be with us or who will be sick or pass away.
- We have specific worries about certain people, about a variety of circumstances, about problems connected to Corona and about other problems we cannot address because of Corona. At the same time, we worry about those at the forefront of managing and caring for the rest of us: doctors, nurses, medical personnel in general, first responders including police, firefighters and health aides as well as those who perform other essential tasks.
- We are isolated by social distancing and struggling to try to adapt to all the hassles, harassments, shortages, and inconveniences caused by the invisible, devastating, widespread and spreading disease that has changed our reality. Many of us, worldwide, are in quarantine. Many quarantine stuff like mail and provisions that come into our homes. We spend hours washing our hands, disinfecting our cartons and bags and then disinfecting their contents. We spend hours waiting only to give up on the orderly management of our lives because fundamental services are suspended. We suffer because our illnesses cannot be treated since no one is available to treat them and getting help would expose us and others to the more immediately dangerous COVID-19 virus.
- We worry about the unfortunate people who are enduring homelessness, who are stranded and cannot get home, who cannot get food and who have no resources whatsoever.
- We angrily resent governments and leaders who have failed us by ignoring or refuting the clear early warnings scientists gave them. Leaders, including the President of the United States, have acted in their personal political interest sacrificing their nations’ interest. They have lied repeatedly. They have denied truths about the foreseeable pandemic and have failed and continue to fail to provide essential testing or adequate protection to hospitals and to the citizenry, criticizing those who bring such failures to their attention. Some local officials have refused and still refuse to issue directives that reduce the likelihood of spreading the highly contagious virus, endangering others and causing more loss of lives.On top of this, the world is awfully divided locally, statewide, nationally and internationally. In serving themselves leaders have shown zero interest in cooperating with one another. Instead, they praise themselves and play horrific blame games. At any time, such behaviors would cause peoples to view the government as dishonorable leading to uprisings and violence. Now distressed citizens wonder how disaster can be mitigated.
- We worry about individuals, families, communities, and nations who are seeing the biggest and most alarming economic downturn of their lives and we worry that such downturns will not easily self-correct. Knowing that leaders and politicians who cannot work together will exacerbate rather than mitigate the crisis created by the Corona pandemic, we are terrified.
- We feel guilty about what we have done or not done in the past, wondering how much our behavior has caused the destruction we see and foresee. We also feel guilty about little things that we did or didn’t do to alleviate the sorrows and concerns of those we love, of those we failed to appreciate, and of random people who crossed our path. We worry about the state of society and about the health of our planet and we wonder to what extent disrespect of our environment has led to the crisis in which we find ourselves. Learning that reduced activity and traffic led to blue skies and less shaking of the crust of the earth tells us that our behaviors have caused harm and risked the very existence of future generations.
But, notwithstanding the grim reality, we are facing and notwithstanding our fears and anger, it is important and uplifting to note this: On the other hand, there is another hand.
There is solace ahead. There is a reason to feel fine, to look forward to a better world once we overcome present challenges. There is a reason to recognize bright silver linings to the cloud made up of the struggles we now face. The biggest silver lining is the goodness that has awakened in so many people, indeed in most people. It is heartening to see that the majority of the world’s population understands the need to practice what we now call social distancing and to obey stay home directives. It is even more heartening to see the grace with which we do our best to fight the battle we are fighting together.
It is inspiring to see ourselves surrounded by sacrifice, helpfulness, generosity, creativity, inner growth, peace and faith in our colleagues, friends, families and in neighbors and strangers. Indeed, we even see pets sensing grief and need and we see them doing their utmost to comfort those they love. We see little children and youngsters adapting and growing and helping and contributing. We see many people rising to the occasion and finding within themselves inner strength, determination and courage they never knew they had.
I believe that the silver linings may bring about a much-needed change in the essence of humanity in the 21st Century. Some actions we are taking will inevitably stay with us an bring about a new and better reality. We are likely to see a new normal that incorporates greater peace, greater calm, greater appreciation of differences and greater global cooperation.
I trust that from the horrid scourge that now confronts us, we humans will evolve into or perhaps it is return to a wiser and kinder form of life.
Read more blogs from Irina Gajjar at www.irinaspage.com.
Well said…..The negative and the positive?