The Moral of This Story is Hope

Once upon a time, the human race changed for the better.

The moral of this story is hope.

I’ve always hated apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic stories. Now more than ever. The reason is because they too often envision only one outcome to a disaster. An outcome driven by fear of survival which encourages lawlessness (or self-law) and selfishness. One which encourages violence as the means of getting what is needed (or only wanted). One that says that destruction is always complete and inevitable. One that preaches that survival at any cost is okay.

Come on. Stretch your imagination.

There’s more than one way. There’s more than one way to deal with a crisis. There’s more than one outcome. To any story.

Let me say that one more time. There is more than one way. There is more than one outcome. To any story.

I am not oblivious to what’s going on. I’m not blinded to the fact that the Covid-19 virus is big and scary. We are currently faced with a brand new uncertainty which, like war, is hitting on a global level. Now is a time for which none of us have felt prepared. It’s disturbed normalcy. It’s frightened us with mortality. It’s terrified many of us with loss; of life, of money, of security, of future, of independence, of fun, of safety, of health.  

It’s disrupted the pattern of our day-to-day lives. It’s not been easy and it won’t be easy. Many of us are wondering how to survive while many others of us are upset that our lives are being touched by something because it usually happens to Someone Else. Thoughts and prayers. Bless their hearts. But this is real, people have died and are dying.

This time, whether we like it or not, we are all affected. We are all infected.

The good news is that every single one of us can do our part to help ourselves and each other. The good news is that we are adaptive creatures. The good news is that so many people have already figured out ways to help and to work – for instance, teachers who are using technologies to distance-teach their students. For instance, those donating masks and gloves to medical personnel. For instance, those supporting small businesses in any way possible (buying gift cards, keeping memberships and subscriptions active, etc.). For instance, all who have found ways to do their work from home so as to reduce the risk of getting or giving the virus. For instance, companies whose leadership is acting like human beings once again and looking at their fellow human beings rather than only at some bottom line. For instance, all the medical staff who are working so incredibly hard.

The good news is that we can use the shake up brought on by Covid-19 to become better people. All around better.  

The beautiful thing that can come out of this crisis is a new way of living. One that needs to happen. A way that says all are important. Not the few. Not only the rich. But everyone. A new way to view our time and priorities. A new way to look at how our world operates and to decide whether that mode of operation has expired or not. A new way to go forward from here on out.

One valuable thing we can keep from all of this, one I hope we don’t miss, is the acknowledgment and responsibility of our individual and collective influence in all things.

Practically what can we do?

Those of us who don’t hold essential jobs can stay home to flatten the curve and protect everyone else, especially the immunocompromised. We can take a good hard look at how much pollution has dropped in places like China where the lock-downs have been strict and followed. We can take a good hard look at that and see where we can take strict actions to keep pollution down and limit future build up wherever we are. Because what we do actually impacts our world. We have to take note of that. 

We are not helpless. If the status quo sucks, we can change it.

We can hold our leadership accountable to humanity rather than dollars and political nonsense.

We can hold ourselves accountable to the health of humanity and to the earth. Right now, the easiest way to do that is to stay strict with social distancing. As Dr. Jordan L. Shlain said, “We must weigh the cost of being wrong against the chance of being wrong.” [Emphasis mine.] This is definitely a time when it’s way better to be safe than it is to be sorry. So, stay at home and wash your hands.

While we are doing that, we can also ask questions that address the whole rather than only the self.

How can we heal rather than hurt?

How can we help rather than hoard?

How can we contribute?

How can we reinstall community in a society that got so fast paced we forgot about each other?    

In what ways can we be better?

There’s a Chinese proverb that says: When is the best time to plant a tree? 20 years ago. When is the next best time to plant a tree? Now.

To address the current situation of Covid-19: When is the best time to shelter in place? A month ago. When is the next best time? Now.

Stay at home. Practice social distancing. Wash your hands like there’s a skin-eating contagion on them. Disinfect everything. Be kind to others. Be kind to yourself. Use this time to get to know yourself and those who live in the same house as you. Work a puzzle. Meditate. Laugh. Play games. Get outside (responsibly). Check in with friends (by phone and video chat). Write that story. Draw a picture. Do the workout. Listen. Finish those projects. Start those other projects. Try a new recipe. Clean out that closet. Sort those photos. Read. Engage in a conversation. Dance.    

To continue the theme and address our future and our earth, we can ask: When is the best time to change? Of course, the answer is also 20 years ago. But when is the next best time? Now. Absolutely now. 

What do we know? For one, that we have to change some things. What better time to radically change the way we do things than now when we’ve already stepped into the waters of transition? For another thing, we are more than any economy. For another, we are survivors who can help all those around us survive as well. We are not selfishness. We can and we have to learn to live with the long term in mind—for humans, for the earth, for all living things. We are smart enough. We are capable.

This time is a gift. It’s a hard gift, it’s an unwanted gift, but it is a gift. How will we use it? Let us be wise. Let us be responsive. Let us be proactive.

With all this in mind, here’s an alternate ending: the human race, the whole human race works together. In working together, our lives are both saved and enriched and our earth has a chance to heal. We adapt, we learn, we love.

We can do this.

*Quote taken from: https://tincture.io/dispatch-3-dr-shlain-reporting-from-the-front-lines-a86bca27847b