We have recently been bombarded by various articles and posts that keep appearing in social media, related to the new pathogen, which wreaks havoc in almost all corners of the world, the world we have known so far. Coronavirus (COVID-19), the new virus which I’ve mentioned here, until recently was a great subject for jokes and memes, unfortunately, what might have seemed to be funny yesterday, is a source of anxiety today, the one which affects everyone around.
Each generation has a chance to experience the ends of the world, such as wars, acts of oppression by an alien power, terrorist attacks, recessions, natural disasters, to finish with deaths of their dear ones. Of course, these are not all out of bad things that may happen to us, having current plague in mind. I wouldn’t like to create a pathetic or preachy text right now, as to tell the truth I’m in no state to deal with this. The thing I’d like to mention here is the fact that our world – in which we are born, we grow up to experience different stages of our lives together with our dear ones, is a truly fragile matter. It’s enough that one particle changes its route, and our reality which we have always taken for granted, is no longer the same, thus our and our close ones’ lives are in danger.
I believed that all this coronavirus panic wouldn’t affect me, however, one day just out of the blue I couldn’t breathe well, which was caused by stress and greater than usual uncertainty related to our future. Consequently, this situation gave me some food for reflection. Do we focus on the right things on a daily basis? So yes. I can say, definitely, that I don’t. It often happens that besides work I don’t have time to enjoy the company of my family and friends or to absorb the surrounding me nature and its changing seasons. This poses a question of what I really try to pursue, being aware of the fact that my end will inevitably be the same? After coming to such a conclusion I’ve realized that maybe it would be good to find a little bit more time for myself and my close ones? At the end of the day, these are the people who will matter, not the next tasks or successfully completed projects ordered by your employer. On the other hand, taking part in this sensible quarantine, I start slowly missing my professional duties, which could be fulfilled in my workplace, and not remotely. Nothing can replace a real contact with another person, the virtual world can be only its extension or its complement, it cannot replace it completely. Even the moments, which I was waiting for so long, don’t seem to make me happy, such as my new flat that will stay empty for some time, as I’ll take care of it in a more favorable reality.
On the other hand, we can’t let this situation make us crazy and we need to try our best to live a more or less normal life. Despite the fact that we, as people, have recently started looking at others with a kind of hostility, because we are simply scared to breathe the same air, in case it could possibly be infected by the weaker individuals. Such a reaction can be understood in a way, as the fear is simply justified here. While looking at empty streets, buses and store shelves, I feel as if I were at war, although not necessarily at its basic form. Despite the fact that I was born in the times of communism, when Poland wasn’t a free country, and even though there was no war, there were still Russian troops on our territory, I don’t remember those times, as I was just too little back then. At that period it often happened that the store shelves were empty and products could only be bought using a special kind of ration coupons. When my dad told me different stories, such as about the moments when he had to travel to a completely different voivodeship just to buy some instant powdered milk I needed at that time, all these stories seemed to be just pure fiction to me. Last week, we had a chance to experience the first symptoms of mass panic in Poland. Seeing the empty store shelves, I had a thought that our history’s about to repeat itself, even if not necessarily in the same form. That’s why, we should always respect what we have, since we don’t know how our tomorrow will look like, provided that it comes at all.
I’d also like to appeal to everyone, but it’s rather for the future, if you hear of threats, such as a deadly virus which spreads at a light speed… don’t travel if you don’t have to! The holidays of your lifetime can be enjoyed on another occasion. If you make such a rush decision, you can not only get ill (that’s really nothing), but you can also infect other people, and I really feel pity for them. Of course, at the moment people coming back home from abroad undergo a compulsory quarantine, but think of all those ‘daredevils’, who weren’t examined. Come on, people, think! It’s not really that painful and can save the lives of many human beings! Besides this, let’s just follow the general instructions, and maybe, if we are lucky, we will manage to decrease the numbers of new cases to minimum!
I hope that in these difficult times we will be even closer to one another, although maybe not in its literal meaning, as due to obvious reasons we need to avoid contacts with too many people. Enjoy the moments, which you can spend with your close ones, think positive and try to act rationally, and in this way responsibly. I would like to thank warmly all of you who still need to work and fulfill your professional duties away from home. I hope that all the preventive measures will work well for you!
See you around!
Yours,
Passion Piece
Photo by: Fusion Medical Animation, Clay Banks, Hello I’m Nik ? , Nick Fewings, Free To Use Sounds, Richard Burlton, Claire Mueller, ?? Claudio Schwarz | @purzlbaum, Kelly Sikkema, Pille-Riin Priske, Rod Long, Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
I like your advice to try to live as normally as possible. It’s true we’ve switched from having a chuckle about some memes to full on anxiety.
This is definitely a time in my life that I have never experienced before. And while at first, I didn't think much of it, it has turned out to affect almost everybody worldwide in an unusually large way. I do hope things get back to normal soon with very little bad effect and without too much more loss of life and health.
These are some crazy times. We're doing our part and trying to stay indoors when we can. We're also making sure to wash hands often!
Coronavirus has changed our lives so so fast! Just two weeks ago, the US was not paying that much attention! Now, we all work from home, NYC is ghost town, and we do not know what will happen. Scary time but we can all take precautions to help prevent the spread of the disease as much as we can.
Thanks a lot for the article. I am trying to live as normally as possible and just like you I promised myself not to be affected but this is too much...I remain positive though.
If we all stick together and are responsible, I am sure that this too shall pass. Great article and stay safe!
These are some crazy times for sure. I just wrote a post about "what to do when times are uncertain." My husband has already been told that he will be getting laid off in 2 weeks. And that should freak me out as he's the only income earner in our family, but it doesn't. I choose to be calm and grateful for everything we have. And we've have some emergency savings for situations just like this. I know that others have it much worse. I choose to be calm and I choose to not let this uncertainty freak me out. There isn't much we can control right now, but our thoughts and reactions we CAN control. Blessings!
The only thing we can do at this point is to stay positive and busy. As scary as it is right now, the best thing that we can do is have hope and quarantine ourselves to stop the spread.
I agree that traveling has made the world smaller and is one of the ways that we carry something invisible with us back home. I’m pretty sure that this crisis will teach us a thing or two about contingency plans.
Never before has the world seemed small at this moment, it seems that the infinity that until yesterday seemed unbridgeable has now disappeared. But this, I hope, will later make us travelers and people more responsible to ourselves and our planet.
I'm strruggling right now because I'm still working (I'm in the veterinary field) and I see so many people no taking this seriously. It's frustrating.
During these uncertain times we need to follow the guidance that is put out there. This is living history. What we do today will affect our future
It's difficult and scary to be caught in a place like the UK right now. Barely anyone is taking it seriously and the other half are panic buying. It feels like extremely dark times & I'm just thankful I've saved for a 'rainy day' because there has never seemed to be anything as rainy as now.
We most definitely have to try and live as "normally" as possible. I find great comfort in routines. Lately I have found a lot of joy in walks. The spring air is so nice. Until (and hopefully it doesn't happen) we go to full quarantine, I will continue to enjoy them!
This is such a scary time but of course life goes on. We also try t live as normally but more careful too!
Times are uncertain. Everything feels surreal! Thank you for sharing how you feel!