Dalai Lama recently said, “The current global pandemic threatens us all, without distinctions of race, culture or gender. Whether we like it or not, we have been born on this earth as part of one great family.”
While everyone across globe is focussing on dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is also crucial to learn some important lessons from this human crisis, which will help us build a better world once again. Like any other year, 2020 was welcomed with a wave of enthusiasm, upbeat buoyancy, determining resolutions and hopes for a better tomorrow. However, a little over three months and 2020 proved to be the worst nightmare for everyone across the globe.
Despite all the scientific and technological advances, the unimaginable happened – an invisible enemy brought the world to a standstill. The novel coronavirus aka COVID-19 is rapidly spreading across populations and unapologetically wreaking havoc worldwide. And as much as we would like to reboot 2020, what this crisis truly calls for is a reboot of our thoughts and a huge shift in our consciousness.
Since the beginning of mankind, outbreaks, diseases, and calamites of such kind have ravaged the human existence. And while like all the others, the corona pandemic too might see its end, (hopefully soon), scientists believe that outbreaks like this in future are inevitable. Moreover, the future global crisis may not just arise from diseases but can also stem from climate change, hence it is high time we take some lessons from COVID-19 and other calamities. The Corona pandemic is an unprecedented wake-up call for all of us.
Below are a few key lessons that we should learn from the current pandemic and other disasters that have befallen upon us in the past.
Save For The Rainy Day
With our unsatiated desires for all the good and luxurious things in life, our generation had become more focussed on spending than saving. However, ever since COVID-19 proclaimed world domination a few months back, our lives have been thrown upside down. The pandemic has not only resulted in a huge tragic loss of human life but has also collapsed the world economy and many are struggling to even make ends meet. Jobs are lost, salary cuts are on the way, companies are shutting down, unemployment globally is on the rise — the on-going crisis is mind-numbing. What’s more, economic pundits have stated that the world economy will further experience the worst recession since the Great Depression. Now, this is a warning bell for all of us to make saving our priority. Anyway, the ‘Great Lockdown’ time has definitely taught us one thing – we just need the basics for survival, rest all is sheer luxury.
Health Is Wealth
One most important lesson to take from COVID-19 pandemic is that your health is everything. According to health experts, a well-nurtured physical and mental health can keep a horde of diseases at bay. Even in several COVID-19 cases, it has been observed that those with a robust immune system have been able to battle the dreaded virus far more effectively than the ones with a weaker defence system. Moving forward, we should ensure to not take our health for granted and take as many precautionary measures to boost the immune system as possible. Remember self-care is not a luxury but a priority.
Respect Mother Nature
All calamities and outbreaks like COVID-19 have taught us one thing – nothing can challenge the force of nature, no matter how advanced science and technology is, we aren’t above nature. Despite being warned innumerable times about the high-risk of animal-borne infectious diseases, and the climate crisis, we didn’t learn our lesson and continued to destroy our natural habitats. The results have been certainly grave. Recently, on International Mother Earth Day, observed on April 22, UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ shared a message for everyone. He said, “The impact of the coronavirus is both immediate and dreadful. But there is another deep emergency — the planet’s unfolding environmental crisis. Biodiversity is in steep decline. Climate disruption is approaching a point of no return. Greenhouse gases, just like viruses, do not respect national boundaries and we must act decisively to protect our planet from both the coronavirus and the existential threat of climate disruption.” It is about time we start respecting mother nature and get more eco-conscious.
You Are Not Invincible
Dalai Lama recently said, “The current global pandemic threatens us all, without distinctions of race, culture or gender. Whether we like it or not, we have been born on this earth as part of one great family. Rich or poor, educated or uneducated, belonging to one nation or another, ultimately each of us is just a human being like everyone else.” The message here is very important, none of us is invincible. Pandemics and other natural disasters don’t discriminate between the rich and the poor and a calamity can befall upon anyone, anytime. World leaders, politicians, as well as celebrities have been tested COVID-19 positive, so don’t ever think you are invincible. If there are certain protocols to be followed, follow them, don’t be a rebel without a cause and enjoy each day as it comes. You don’t know what tomorrow shall hold, so make as much of it as today. Spread the love, adapt and embrace the change.