What started as one country’s burden spread across the entire globe. It all feels like some evil giant spread the butter from one spot on the bread slice unto the entire slice; not missing any corner.
Every corner you turn, it’s the talk, it’s the music blaring, it’s the children’s conversations, it’s the news on the telly; it’s helter-skelter to ensure homes are filled with food, medicines and all basic requirements, It doesn’t end just there – it is happening all over the world. No continent has been spared; this is not about race, religion, tribe, economic status or even age. Each and every one of us is a potential “case”.
LOCKDOWN – a word I have never heard used in my life time; a word that you only read about in historical events, a word that has taken some of us on a curious journey of happenings in the past like the infamous great Bubonic Plague”; the 1918 Influenza, the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa etc. Lockdown is a word that film-makers have tried to bring to life in fictional ensembles to paint a picture in our minds of such unfortunate happenings. LOCKDOWN is even happening close to home!
It is these moments and more that have me deep in thought and questioning a couple of ideologies that have existed from time in memorial. However, if there is anything these happenings are teaching me or have me thinking over, it is these four (4) key highlights:
1. To be the same or not: It is possible that once this is over, we shall fall back to our lives and only reflect on this moment. However, will we remain the same? Sad events tend to leave and create huge impact in our lives; for better or for worse. This pandemic has punched economies hard in the belly, health systems in both developed and developing economies have been shaken to the very core, lives have been lost, and politicians are perplexed. I doubt this will leave the world the same. Again, it is possible that once this is over, we shall fall back to our lives BUT we will not be the same. I personally hope that we can learn from the hard blows and carry on with the few positive and hopefully moments that have graciously been displayed
2. Going back to the shelf: A great deal of us are locked up in our homes/houses and have somewhat been forced into situations where “we have some time on our hands”. This has brought out the shelved parts of our lives to be re-lived. Parents are spending more time with their children – “I have never watched this much number of cartoons” one parent happily remarked; “We are now eating freshly baked pastries; I didn’t know I still could bake” one mother remarked; “I have cleaned my house, done my laundry, read a book and completed a work task in less than 8 hours” one gentleman remarked in shock at himself. We have been brought down back to our basics. We run around busy with the things that have to be done, tackling the hassles and bassles of life, chasing this and that, checking on this and that. All this comes at the expense of having possibly very important parts of our lives shelved. This pandemic seems to me like nature’s way of bringing us back to these shelved pieces of our lives.
3. Bringing back humanity: Rare moments come by and remind us of one thing; that at the end of the day, we are all but one thing; we are HUMAN! One dictionary describes humanity as Human beings collectively and adds a secondary description as the quality of being humane; benevolence (Oxford Dictionary). It is the way one human acts towards one another. This unbecoming pandemic has presented us with every reason to think and behave humanely. Seeing that everyone is affected for one reason or another, there have been acts of kindness, compassion has been shown, and heroic bravery is at the helm of the fight. Bringing this argument closer to home even spells out the humanity more. For long, the talk in town is how our leaders and politicians have not been adequately and efficiently performing at their roles and responsibilities BUT what a change to see the tables turn and for a moment there, some of the leaders have been shown respect and empathy; with a few highlighting “how it is not easy to run a country”. Gratitude and appreciation has been the order of the day; togetherness to fight as one is the appeal of many. Very key and most important, the more able part of the population has shown empathy to the lesser advantaged persons and have been seen to spread out goodness.
What a good use of a pandemic – to bring out humaneness!
SURRENDER: Everyday new deaths are being registered and so are new case occurrences. Watching leaders of nations mighty and great put their hands up, celebrities and influential people in society coming out as having tested positive; watching our own leaders close to home address us with such anxiety and uncertainty written all-over their faces; seeing the entire population literally come down to their knees – all this because I am a firm believer in the power of God; all of it brings me to the conclusion that we need to surrender to the author and the finisher of our faith. Knowledge, wealth and all the science are at the frontline to fight this scourge BUT surrender to God and having faith that in all this HE will show himself strong is all the hope I can spread out there. Surrender doesn’t mean that we should not do anything but sit and watch; surrender is submitting to the authority and leading of God through our thoughts, ideologies and our deeds.
When this is all over – I now know without a doubt that Faith over Fear is a strong ally when the times are hard.
PS: The opinions here-in are my very own inspired by a global pandemic that has the entire world looking for hope
Blessings
AK
