Dark Days: Searching for the Light
These are dark days. We are all trying to process what is happening as best we can.
Hospitals are full with the sick and the dying. Those working on the frontline of the crisis are buckling under the strain. Across the globe, thousands are dead. The hope that thousands more will not join them is fading rapidly. Governments have, with varying degrees of urgency, been implementing measures to stave the crisis. Measures that will dramatically change our way of life. Yet the virus continues to spread, relentless.
Our faith in humanity is being tested. We are seeing the worst in people. Racism and xenophobia, erupting in aggression and violence. Selfishness as supermarket shelves are emptied and people fight over the final items remaining. Greed as such items are sold for exorbitant prices. Owners of large businesses so swiftly and easily culling their workforce to protect their own inflated salaries and the money in their bank accounts. Scams that take advantage of fear and desperation. Con-artists who offer the helping hand of a Samaritan only to steal from the vulnerable. Just some of the displays of sub-humanity we have witnessed in such a short space of time. What is wrong with these people? They should all be hanging their heads in shame.
People are afraid. Afraid for the health of their loved ones. Afraid for themselves. Afraid for their jobs and livelihoods. Afraid for the future. Unsure if they are doing the right or the wrong things, assaulted by a barrage of images and information, some of it conflicting. It is easy to imagine this is how the world ends.
But in the darkest times, we also see the best in people. Medical staff fight every day to save lives. Retail staff enable us to still put food on our tables. Cleaners make it safer for us to venture outside; education staff keep our children safe if we still need to go to work; delivery-people ensure we still have access to all that we need; police officers still keep our streets safe; carers look after the most vulnerable when we cannot do so. Countless others contribute to maintaining society while it threatens to crumble. Thank you to all of them. They prove we are right to still have hope.
If we look hard enough, we can still find stories that we may describe as miraculous. People over one-hundred years old beating the disease. People and businesses holding out a helping hand to support others. Communities coming together. People are remembering to still dance and sing and laugh. In the skies above once-polluted cities, the birds are singing again. Dolphins have returned to the waters of Venice.
Tragically, in our modern world, we’ll find as many sources debunking these stories of hope as we find promoting them. Not knowing what to believe only adds to the fear and the isolation. But what is without question is that people are finding ways to support each other. We are all in this together and we can all contribute – offering to help just one other person may make all the difference. There are many different ways to offer support to someone. Remember, you are not alone.
We should follow the advice. We shouldn’t take more than we need and we can be willing to share what we have. We can stay at home unless absolutely necessary. If we must go out, whether that be to go to work, get supplies, or for fresh air and exercise, we can take the precautions of social distancing. Surely it is our duty to be good human beings.
To those who proclaim that the advice and precautions are not necessary or too extreme; those who claim they are attempts to take away our human rights; those who ignore the pleas not to empty shelves; those who believe simply that none of this applies to them and who refuse to disrupt their lives – you are part of the problem. You are the reason the advice is getting stricter and choices are being taken away. Please shut your mouths. Stop your selfish behaviour. You are endangering lives.
These are dark days. We are seeing the worst and the best in people. As we witness the pain and death in the world, we must also remember there is much to be thankful for. Even on the darkest of days, we can still find a glimmer of light.
Hospitals are full with the sick and the dying. Those working on the frontline of the crisis are buckling under the strain. Across the globe, thousands are dead. The hope that thousands more will not join them is fading rapidly. Governments have, with varying degrees of urgency, been implementing measures to stave the crisis. Measures that will dramatically change our way of life. Yet the virus continues to spread, relentless.
Our faith in humanity is being tested. We are seeing the worst in people. Racism and xenophobia, erupting in aggression and violence. Selfishness as supermarket shelves are emptied and people fight over the final items remaining. Greed as such items are sold for exorbitant prices. Owners of large businesses so swiftly and easily culling their workforce to protect their own inflated salaries and the money in their bank accounts. Scams that take advantage of fear and desperation. Con-artists who offer the helping hand of a Samaritan only to steal from the vulnerable. Just some of the displays of sub-humanity we have witnessed in such a short space of time. What is wrong with these people? They should all be hanging their heads in shame.
People are afraid. Afraid for the health of their loved ones. Afraid for themselves. Afraid for their jobs and livelihoods. Afraid for the future. Unsure if they are doing the right or the wrong things, assaulted by a barrage of images and information, some of it conflicting. It is easy to imagine this is how the world ends.
But in the darkest times, we also see the best in people. Medical staff fight every day to save lives. Retail staff enable us to still put food on our tables. Cleaners make it safer for us to venture outside; education staff keep our children safe if we still need to go to work; delivery-people ensure we still have access to all that we need; police officers still keep our streets safe; carers look after the most vulnerable when we cannot do so. Countless others contribute to maintaining society while it threatens to crumble. Thank you to all of them. They prove we are right to still have hope.
If we look hard enough, we can still find stories that we may describe as miraculous. People over one-hundred years old beating the disease. People and businesses holding out a helping hand to support others. Communities coming together. People are remembering to still dance and sing and laugh. In the skies above once-polluted cities, the birds are singing again. Dolphins have returned to the waters of Venice.
Tragically, in our modern world, we’ll find as many sources debunking these stories of hope as we find promoting them. Not knowing what to believe only adds to the fear and the isolation. But what is without question is that people are finding ways to support each other. We are all in this together and we can all contribute – offering to help just one other person may make all the difference. There are many different ways to offer support to someone. Remember, you are not alone.
We should follow the advice. We shouldn’t take more than we need and we can be willing to share what we have. We can stay at home unless absolutely necessary. If we must go out, whether that be to go to work, get supplies, or for fresh air and exercise, we can take the precautions of social distancing. Surely it is our duty to be good human beings.
To those who proclaim that the advice and precautions are not necessary or too extreme; those who claim they are attempts to take away our human rights; those who ignore the pleas not to empty shelves; those who believe simply that none of this applies to them and who refuse to disrupt their lives – you are part of the problem. You are the reason the advice is getting stricter and choices are being taken away. Please shut your mouths. Stop your selfish behaviour. You are endangering lives.
These are dark days. We are seeing the worst and the best in people. As we witness the pain and death in the world, we must also remember there is much to be thankful for. Even on the darkest of days, we can still find a glimmer of light.
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