Positivity at the time of a Pandemic

Positivity at the time of a Pandemic

"Solution" has to be the keyword for every problem we face. Today, when the entire world is fighting the coronavirus outbreak and panic has gripped all, countries like the United States, England, Spain, France, Belgium, Italy, Iran and finally some parts of India are under complete lockdown. Negativity has unfortunately taken centre stage with the social media spreading news of new cases and more deaths, which is accentuating the fear factor among netizens. Why do we treat this situation so negatively? Why complain about staying at home? Why call the lockdown a jail? We always hope for more holidays to spend time with our family when we are getting them, why crib so much? Have we ever wondered what do animals feel when we forcibly put them in zoos, don't they want to be in their natural habitats, with their families and friends? I am not arguing or debating with anyone, just trying to show people a different perspective on this pandemic.

At this juncture, I wish all to take a deep breath and take everything as a real quintessence, a chance for self-introspection. Despite the current situation, I want to present a "half-full" (read: 98% full) glass of water perspective. Now that everyone is staying in their home in physical isolation from society, it's a blessing in disguise for the people to experience moments with the own-self and maybe their loved ones, which they probably miss out on the hush-rush of their fast-paced life.

Energy can neither be created nor destroyed. The whole universe runs on energy, and the infinite source of energy is probably what we call as God. Every living or non-living being is part of that energy. Having said that, the cohesive coexistence of the physical form of energy could be the only way forward. We as humans must learn to respect the balance nature wants us to maintain and religiously adhere to the equilibrium between all forms of life and supporting materials on earth. The explosive growth of human population has led to over-exploitation of natural resources, its high time that the governments and economists around the world should learn from this pandemic. The data is being collected around the world, and it's been observed that not only flora & fauna shall start flourishing, but air quality is improving due to diminishing economic activity. As there are no cars on the road, no planes are flying, we are seeing a brighter sky, breathing fresh air. The carbon emissions have drastically reduced, which may help the cooling down of our atmosphere. In our city, we can see people making rigorous efforts to clean up and disinfect their surroundings, public spaces such as bus stops, railway stations, airports, libraries, metro, temples etc. People are paying extra attention to their hygiene and social etiquette. Scientists and socially intelligent minds, regardless of their economic or religious backgrounds, are coming together to help the world and to fight this pandemic. It is as if all human beings are treating each other as a family and treating the world as their shared home. The whole world is practicing the fundamental teachings and principles of care for all. If we see all this as a silver lining, we will understand that this is helping us remember our fundamental values of universal brotherhood and harmony.

We should pray that anyone who is infected gets better, and people around us stay safe and healthy. This is not only time for self-introspection but also for doing the things we love. On a lighter note, we can utilize this time to read the book we wished to read, the movie we wanted to watch, the scenery we wanted to paint, the dish we wanted to cook, the language we wanted to learn, the games we wanted to play, do whatever you feel like doing. Connect with your peers, call a friend, ask them if they are doing fine, take care of your domestic workers and your helpers, feed the poor. Make full use of these days and pray to Almighty for gratitude for blessing you with life.

- Mansanjam Singh Bhatia