By FO1 John Henry Oducado
Man’s best hope is with in men, down to this modern age and back to history where again a plague like tragedy disrupts almost all nations around the world especially their health systems, educational systems, public policies and societies. This pandemic created a vast pause to the world bringing difficulties to tolerate and incorporate policies, orders and acts. Each and every one took it differently, for some took it as a vacation, a break from the hustles and bustles of work, but unfortunately for others it has turned many lives upside-down, a notice of starvation or worse, a death sentence. We cannot deny that all of us are in struggle by this dreaded illness, but in this kind of circumstances, much more to a third world country like ours, the poor are always in despair, and their only hope from anguish is aid and assistance from the Government.
Despite this persisting pandemic, COVID 19 silently leads the people to realize a sense of gratitude for those who are continuing the battle against this pandemic. Those doctors and nurses, who are putting their lives on the line, the brave men in uniforms who leave their homes each day, endangering their own health, to keep us in order and safe from spreading the disease and to all kinds of frontliners who served the people during this hiatus. Now that we earn the respect of many, it paved the way on how to value work and how significant our role in this community.
Let’s not forget that there is still hope brought by this crisis. We are lucky to know that there are still great minds who impart their spirit of volunteerism, men that doesn’t have other agendas but only to render assistance just to improve or bring back the life cycle we had. A rise of charitable events have started, from making face mask, face shields, preparing food for the frontliners and etc.. But perhaps It is difficult to admit that in this challenging times the cycle we used to will not be the same and that led us back to ground zero. At this moment it feels like a new world, norms are being pushed to its boundaries and it is a bit disturbing, it somehow hinders us to our very own characteristics as persons which is to interact.
As we feel the sorrow and pain, let’s accept the inevitable and focus on how to bounce back, let our knowledge and understanding be the artillery to this unseen war associated with spirituality that will conquer us from individualism and for us to connect to the moment, to nature, to our fellow being and to God. By that, I believe humanity will take a leap forward, overcoming the glitches and the hitches of governance, the never ending toil of the poor and the ignorance of the capable. But before having great leaps comes first with patience and certain ideals in a moment of gradualness, just like we are facing today. Distancing, lockdowns and quarantines are somehow a disguise to have more time to connect with love ones, to weigh and sort things out, or just a reset button to push. This might be the silver lining of this crisis that will provide a critical opportunity for new learnings and new principles. The hope is we can come out on the other side of this pandemic with more evidence and values learned for a better and transformed World.
Let us not be dismayed, the sun will shine on us again.
