Change We Must

                             

If there was ever a year which could change humanity for the better, it would be 2020. Today we see a world devastated by a novel Pandemic plaguing our cities, crippling our economies and changing the very way we live our lives. In addition to this, we saw the level of social unrest ignited around the world in the form of an even older plague which the world has been battling for years that goes by the name of Racial Discrimination, where our fellow human beings are evaluated on the basis of their skin tone and ethnic background. One could truly wonder at how we could even think of measuring the merits of a Human being on such shallow grounds. 

Discrimination and Inequality among ourselves has never been new, the world has been battling these pressing issues for centuries with very minimal improvement or progression. Today, the Human race is asked a question on the face of our ongoing battle with the Corona Virus in addition to the battles we have already been fighting for decades on end. Are we to go back to living the same way we used to after the Virus finally dissipates? Are we to go back to our old mindsets? Our comfort zones? Our old approaches towards the gift of life that we are blessed enough to have and often take for granted?

The world and indeed nature itself has sent us a clear message that the time for change has indeed come. We were forced to slow down at a time where our fast-paced lives threatened to destroy the things that we hold most dear. Most countries were forced to enforce lock-down periods in response to the rapid spreading of the virus. During these periods of lock-down we questioned ourselves as to how fruitfully we lived our lives before this crisis, we were reminded on how often we took things for granted. People began to miss the simple pleasures of life such as walking in a park on a beautiful sunny day, having coffee with a friend, Friday nights and the list goes on and on. Even things we deemed frustrating like an early morning traffic rush, now seemed appealing because it brought to us a sense of normalcy. We Humans like our sense of normalcy.  

We faced something we had never faced before when our loved ones were sometimes beyond our reach as a result of the new social distancing constraints we had to practice and we were forced to question on the extent to which we valued them unconditionally. Did we not miss them and understand how much they all meant to us? We began to understand that we too often grieved over the blessings we didn’t have yet, instead of being grateful for the blessings we already did.

Unemployment rates skyrocketed around the world, Economically the world now faces its biggest financial crisis since the 2008 global downturn. Millions lost their livelihood, means of supporting their families and pursuing their dreams. In a time of such strife and uncertainty it is easy to feel discouraged, down on yourself and frustrated with the current predicament, but trust where there is darkness there will always be light.  

 

A period of reflection faces Humanity during these unprecedented times. The Human race has now been granted an opportunity to enhance its level of Self-Awareness. We find comfort and inspiration from the incredible stories we hear of Doctors and Health Officials who sacrifice so much and are not even able to visit their own families due to the high level of exposure they have with the Virus on the Front lines. They are heroes in every sense of the word and may their acts of selfless service be remembered long after all of this is said and done. We gain inspiration from stories of those kind neighbors who were willing to share their groceries with the family next door and many other stories of people who have gone out of their way to help a fellow human being during such difficult times. These small acts of kindness and compassion remind us that we can indeed be the people we are called to be if we have the will and determination to be so.

We cannot look to go back to our old ways once the storm has passed. Do we only need to ensure that our hands are washed and sanitized regularly when we are faced with a Global Pandemic? Can we not adopt this practice on a permanent basis to ensure our hygiene is elevated while reducing our susceptibility to illnesses?  Are we to go back to taking our loved ones for granted when so many people around the world have lost family members and friends who have succumbed to this deadly virus? Are we to go back to thinking that our jobs are monotonous and frustrating when millions have faced unemployment and are struggling to make ends meet?

My brothers and sisters, the time has come to change our attitudes, perceptions and lifestyles. Let us “put out the old and bring in the new”. Let us be more grateful for what we have, share our resources and work towards the betterment of our race. Is this not an obligation we have to the generations who preceded us and the generations that will follow? May the future generations to come, say that in times of great strife and distress we prevailed and handed over to them a better planet. Put aside the petty differences that have divided and weakened our societies for far too long. Conflict has had its say for centuries but now we must say – No more. Positive change must take root in our very ideals and way of life.  There is no choice in the matter. We have to be better, we must.

While the race to find an effective cure for Covid-19 continues, we must remind ourselves that the world’s most important cure will not be against a pathogen causing an illness but indeed it will be against the much older plagues of injustice, inequality, racial discrimination, poverty, oppression, war and many others. The difference here is that we already know the cure for all of this – Kindness. The most powerful cure in existence however tragically underutilized by our race thus far. The cure resides in all of us, waiting to burst out and spread the light so badly needed in the world today. It starts with you, it can even start today. The choice is yours to make. 

So yes, Change is what we need. Change we must.

 

                                           

                                                               

  Hashantha De Mel

(Your feedback would be appreciated, email me at Hashantha1993@outlook.com)