Written by April Mae Casida (PoP's Website & Media Assistant)
Humanity is currently head-on against the deadly Coronavirus disease.
Coronavirus disease, also known as COVID 19 is an infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. It causes mild to moderate respiratory illness and recovers without requiring special treatment. The disease was first reported in December 2019 and was said to have originated from Wuhan, China. From the time it has first reported, the disease has now rapidly spread all over the world.
The disease has put the world to be in a pandemic.
In the past few months, this situation has taken its toll and left the world in a global crisis. The death toll and the number of diagnosed individuals continuously rise, businesses are temporarily closing leaving many people unemployed, educational institutions are resorting to online classes, hospitals are facing manpower and equipment shortage, and people are enforced to stay inside their homes.
These are just a few of the challenges being faced and there are far more than we can imagine. But from observing everything through social media and news broadcasts, I came to see the good in the bad.
Mother earth is healing.
Fewer people are going outside because of community quarantines. Most of the offices are implementing work from home schemes. There are fewer vehicles on the road which results in less emission of the harmful carbon dioxide - less air pollution. I haven’t seen the sky so blue for a very long time. The majestic beauty of the mountain ranges is now visible in the busy city skyline. Different bodies of water have been reported to be clear for the first year in many years. Animals are coming out from their habitats, enjoying the once busy surrounding full of people. The situation may not be totally beneficial for us but for Mother Earth, it’s something she’s always been longing for.
People are reconnecting.
Now that everyone is taking precautionary measures by staying at home, people have more time to spend with their families. Dinner tables that were once filled with gaps are now completed with each of the family members. Parents who have been working hard for their children are making up for all the time lost. Children see their parents more often than ever. Some even have finally a chance to chat with friends they haven’t talked with in a while. This is a time of reconnection for relationships that were forgotten and it makes you realize how important human interaction is in the digital age.
Talents, Hobbies, and Passion are discovered.
This is a time of (re)discovery and learning. Many are trying to learn new things. May it be cooking, baking, drawing, painting, crocheting, or anything that they haven’t had the chance to try because of their busy schedules. Others are picking up their old ukuleles and guitars full of cobwebs to strum that beautiful note that they haven’t played for a long while. It is heartwarming to see everyone’s inner child as they enthusiastically discover something about their selves that they seem to have set aside.
The body, mind, and soul are resting.
More time at home doesn’t mean that you have to be busy or you have to be productive all the time. Many are taking this as a great opportunity to rest and recharge yourself. You can start that exercise plan you have always been planning of, revisit your goals, make your bucket list, read your favorite book, or you can just binge-watch your favorite series and wake up late the next morning. Nobody is going to judge you. Do what you think is best for yourself!
The cure for the Coronavirus has not been discovered yet. But brilliant individuals around the world are collectively working together to find a stop to this pandemic. No one does know when will this end, but until then we must work altogether and bring our best effort to be of help in our simple ways to stop the spread of the disease.
And when life gets tough on you, remember that bad things don’t last forever. Open your eyes and see that there is always the good amidst the chaos.
Here is a special treat for you!
Below is a link to a wonderful poem that Tanur shared with me. The piece's title is Welcome to the Human Zoo and is written by one of his favorite Thai poet, Sean Buranahiran. The poem's message is in time with the pandemic that we are facing right now. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!