Human life affected by COVID19

Part of the human nature is to have a set pattern of daily routine which gives people a feeling of stability, security and satisfactory expectations. This could be related and probably based on the nature  of  the world we live in with its set number of hours per day, the rhythmic alternation between day time and sleep time and the significant seasonal changes and their impact on the environment and crops. Personal and mental changes in human body and mind as old age creeps in will no doubt have their profound effect on our set pattern of daily routine too.

The difficulty with unpredictable events is, that they usually create a feeling of instability and limit our controlling abilities of future plans and events which makes us live in a state of uncertainty, worry and even restlessness and anxiety. While these physical and mental symptoms are relative, their significance across the population can’t be ignored. The time we live in now with COVID 19 is a good and real example of the latter. We wait daily for the government press briefing followed by the BBC News update on the situation with the coronavirus, the daily death toll, the number of new diagnosed cases and the potential new means of diagnosing susceptible cases. While this situation causes most of us a huge concern, even sadness at times, it carries with it significant changes in our life which should not be all negative. A discerning heart and spirit would rather see it as a move towards better social patterns. Millions of people are listening intently to one channel and waiting for new instructions to follow religiously, tens of thousands of doctors and nurses are breaking their retirement-leisurely life and returning back to be front-liners fighting the unknown virus, and hundreds of thousands of volunteers are leaving their comfortable life to deliver food to lonely neighbours, drive patients to or from hospital and standing by for any service the society might need.

The burning question here is, ‘What is my role in a society that is facing a pandemic?’ The easiest route would be to worry, complain or grumble but this will change nothing while the rest of the world is moving in one direction, working hard and praying for an end to the crisis. I should, instead, be positive knowing that the minute that passes with its events will never come back. I should look for any potential opportunity to contribute and assist either physically or morally. I should not let the history of this difficult time be written without my name as an active and honourable loyal member of the human body on earth. I should join some of the online church activities to learn, teach or pray and meditate. I should remember the words of the Lord Jesus, ‘Why you are worried, don’t you have faith ?’ We should do our full obligation towards the world while strongly believing that the One who stilled the sea storm is more than capable to put an end to the enemy of humanity we are facing. Let us light, even a small, candle instead of cursing the uncertainty we are currently living in.