Challenging Times Call for New Realization

The Challenge to Human Minds

During this COVID-19 crisis, the world as we knew it has undergone a sea change. A lot of things that we thought were not possible have now been made possible. Amidst the pandemic, the goal is to preserve businesses and the economy, to continue essential services, and increase social awareness and responsibility. All this comes at a cost of certain people's jobs, exposing them to health risks, and the mental challenges of dealing with isolation to protect both ourselves and other people. Some people want to believe this is equivalent to a war. The focus on productivity for academics and business takes a lower priority than caring about life as we knew it before the pandemic broke out.

This is a sea change in the way we did things in the past. The urgency of the issue is exacerbated by the nature of how easily this virus spreads. This can do one of two things. Take the human race to the:

• Next level of consciousness and realization
• Depths of our worst selves excluding others while we strive to survive this

Interestingly this pandemic pushes us to think of the survival of all or none. A lot of people see and understand this and are able to rise above petty issues. People have started to realize the value of life in this divisive world. A lot of people think this will shake things up for a better future with an awareness of our natural environment and how meddling with it causes pandemics. For many decades activists have been unsuccessfully fighting for the rights of the natural environment, photographers shared the reality of starving polar bears, melting ice caps, rising sea levels, and this was evidence of the impending doom on the future of the planet. However, many wanted to tell environmentalists that it's just a matter of preference of what's important to them vs what's important to an environmentalist. In a truly democratic world, this is true in theory, but the reality is what this virus has thrust right in our faces right now. We are all interconnected with nature and protecting nature determines our survival as a species and the quality of life we can lead. Do we care more about money, the economy, and profiting from the exploitation and pollution of the natural world? Can a business run and continue to profit if several thousands of your workers get sick and have to go off work at the same time? Can the medical system deal with the crisis if so many people get sick at the same time? Can insurance companies support such a volume of requests for a completely new virus sweeping through life on earth?

So many uncertainties tell us that things are no longer in our control. A life that we imagined to be stable was disrupted by a microscopic virus that jumped from the abused wildlife in the wet markets in China! It took our tiny humans brains several months to realize the severity of the crisis and figure out what measures must be taken to prevent its exponential spread. In a flash, everything has changed.

Suddenly we can all work from home, restaurants must shut down and several people lose their income. Gyms closing, yoga studios starting online classes, people who considered themselves restless and outdoorsy are struggling with what to do with themselves stuck at home. The list goes on.

Some people in my job are simply trying to work out what working from home full time means. In this industry, the business can still run if you have an internet connection at home. But that's not so for several other jobs. The labor force in countries like India who are mostly migrants and don't really have a permanent 'home' are stuck amidst the sudden lockdown of services. Suddenly stray animals on the streets can no longer get food from the stalls and restaurants. Using public transport hcan actually spread the virus faster, large hotel chains and resorts have to suddenly stop operation. Imagine Las Vegas is shut down! The virus doesn't infect you based on your position in society, political preference, or how much money or power you have. It is but a leveler for all humans. This is a time of both action and introspection.

The saddest part is being unable to be there in person and take care of your elders. Staying away from them is the only way to save their lives!

Strategies

This is where our minds and bodies are trying to come to terms with all the sudden changes that have come to be. For one it pushed me to write a post on my mostly dead blog which I once enthusiastically pursed in a different time that was a challenge for me professionally.

The biggest change in this hugely capitalist world is suddenly realizing the need for socialism to help people survive this. Starting with the need to continue business to keep the economy going, keeping people employed, fed, and stocked on medicines and supplies, and providing emergency services. Fitness businesses, teachers, universities, schools, and people have to think creatively to survive this. 

The fear and panic have led to hoarding of resources as if its doomsday. The fear of falling ill or surviving in such a time drives people to either breakdown or innovate. It has led us to realize how important social structures, family, pets, and nature are to humans. Somehow in the mad rush of day-to-day life we didn't value these things and took life for granted. Suddenly, families are meeting remotely on Zoom and having great conversations and catching up on the health and wellness of others. Universities are pushing courses to Zoom and conducting remote classes. Parents who now have kids at home are coming up with creative ways to continue education for their kids while keeping them engaged with interesting hands-on activities. 

Another interesting and fascinating outcome is how social distancing is giving animals lovers an opportunity to think about fostering or adopting animals from shelters and have a loving companion at home because they can no longer get together with friends, family, and colleagues. Shelters are running empty because the rate of fostering and adoptions have suddenly gone up, and this is the best thing that could've happened. People have never been at home for such long periods of time before and adopting a pet seems to be a great way to help shelter animals and have a cute and loving companion at home. 

Suddenly the roads have no traffic, there is no pollution, and nature appears to continue unperturbed. We now have time to notice the beauty around us. Nature always had its routine and nothing must've changed for nature, but we now actually have time to notice this. We are polluting less as the industries have stopped, fewer flights operate, and just seeing clear smoke-free skies suddenly seem like a relief. The medical staff and essential workers who must commute probably love their drive to work now!

Observing the Ways of Nature

Each time a pandemic breaks out and people are forced out of their routines, the 'new normal' begins to unravel. Life goes on and that we're tiny specs in the circle of life becomes evident, giving us the time to stop, think, and look inwards. The evidence of our interconnection with nature comes to the forefront. Realization that our actions can have impact, save a life or take a life, and how the mistakes in history that continue uncorrected and unresolved continue to haunt human life and nature. However, nature is resilient. It can erase and recreate life in a flash, it can continue unperturbed when everything that matters to our human lives seems to have come to a screeching halt. Our minds are screaming and fighting against the situation, hope and despair battle within us. But then we realize we have choices we can make, actions we can take now, be optimistic while being connected with reality, and learn the lessons to take to the future, if we survive.