Thought for the Week

NASA satellite measurements have recently revealed significant reductions in air pollution, a drop of more than 30 per cent, over the major metropolitan areas of the north eastern United States.

Similar reductions have been observed in Europe and other regions of the world.

But these recent improvements in air quality have come at a high cost, as communities grapple with lockdowns and stay at home orders as a result of the spread of COVID-19. We have long since talked about how best we can heal our planet. We have been told the damage we are doing to our earthly home is irreversible.

It would seem that, even in a few weeks, there has been the possibility of reversing the damage done over the past decades.

There has been much said in these past few awful weeks about courage, compassion, human endeavour and altruism – and rightly so. There has also been much speculation as to what our country, our world, will be like when this is all over. Will we be better people? Will we be kinder, more thoughtful, more caring?

Already we have seen the advantages of modern technology and communication at this time and maybe we can learn from this.

Maybe we won’t need so many air trips to attend meetings when we can do this from home. Maybe we will continue to support local shops and businesses. Maybe we will support our farmers and buy locally grown food. Maybe we can save our planet after all.

Meantime all our prayers are with all those who devote every waking hour to save us from this deadly predator that stalks the earth and threatens our lives.

If we can all become as they are, there is hope beyond this time.