Pandemic a defining moment in history
WE ARE about to celebrate a second Eid-ul-Fitr in a Covid-19 global pandemic. The world is certainly no longer the same. It seems unusual and uncertain.
No one could ever have imagined that our world would change so radically, so considerably, so significantly, so suddenly; perhaps irreversibly. All this, due to a microscopic virus that has initiated a swiftly accelerating crisis that has strained the functioning capacity of the world and continues to cause colossal devastation. It has taken the world captive, making its catastrophic effects felt by all human beings on every part of the earth; so far infecting over 140 million people and causing over 3 million deaths.
The pandemic has ushered in a crucial time, probably a defining moment in human history, and certainly a critical period in our lives. Humanity is collectively facing the fragility and vulnerability of the human situation, swimming in a sea of uncertainty against a tide of emotional discomfort, trying to navigate an unfamiliar reality without the shore of relief in sight.
Human beings, by nature, yearn for a degree of certainty in life because it provides a sense of balance, a level of assurance, a feeling of control and the potential for planning. Without such certitude people feel insecure, unstable and unsure. But we are living in an ever-changing world filled with increasing uncertainty. This is the inescapable reality of our existence.
With the constant sense of trepidation, desperation, apprehension and insecurity caused by the pandemic, it is important to find some sanity and stability in our lives.
Our interconnectedness as a human family provides some avenues of solace. Covid-19 has taught us to acknowledge that we are a world of common problems and shared solutions; we are all in this together, one humanity; what harms one harms the other.
This is the era of awakening to the power of human potential, re-awakening to the necessity of human responsibility, rededication to doing what is good and re-prioritizing what is essential. Each one of us individually and all of us collectively must choose to be agents of goodness, of healing and growth if we are to create a hopeful and sustainable future for those with whom we share this world.
Among our immediate collective tasks as a human family is to re-imagine the world we want to live in and in what tangible ways we could bring a degree of equilibrium into the ethical, spiritual and social realms of our lives. Being at a pivotal juncture in the unfolding human saga, how we respond now will determine whether we as human beings progress as an empathetic unit or stagnate as a global family.
It remains our moral duty to follow health protocols, in keeping with the prophetic directive: “Neither harm others nor allow yourself to be harmed.”
It is incumbent upon us to continue to be safe, sanitise frequently, wash our hands regularly, wear face masks where mandatory, abide by the Covid-19 guidelines; staying socially connected but physically distanced. All this, not only to protect ourselves, but to ensure the safety and well-being of our families and our communities.
Eid Mubarak.