Every single living thing on earth strives to survive. From plants and weeds to fish and humans, everything fights to survive.
Including viruses.
Of course, there will be a lot of deaths from this virus. As I write this, I check the Johns Hopkins integrative map which only two days ago showed just over 150,000 confirmed cases but now shows 242,092 and 9,842 deaths. Italy has overtaken China in fatalities
It’s frightening for those of us who don’t realize how large this world is or how many people there are on the planet.
There are almost eight billion people on this planet (which, by the way, the planet cannot actually accommodate because of consumerism). We are nearing capacity.
To put this in perspective:
America’s population is currently at almost 330 million people.
China has a population of almost 1.5 billion people.
Interestingly, Vatican City – has the smallest population in the world with less than 1,000 people – is in Italy, the hardest hit with fatal COVID-19 deaths. (Yet it is the home of Catholocism).
I, unlike many people, work remotely so my work is secure as of the moment I write this. Of course, I know it’s naive to think my workflow won’t be disrupted by the economic impact of this virus but for now, things are okay. Better, in fact, because remote work is on the rise and the corona virus has kind of forced employers to adopt flexwork and remote work solutions for employees.
This is good news for us freelancers. As well as others who struggle to maintain work/life balance. Maybe your employer is trying this new thing out and you will be able to work from home where you couldn’t before.
Awesome!
My thing is, surrender.
Don’t take me wrong. I don’t mean be reckless and stupid and selfish. I mean, how much TP and hand sanitizer do you REALLY need?
What Is Surrender?
It’s not a defeatist thing to surrender. Rather, I consider it to be a strong and selfless act. Religions across the world encourage it.
“Let go and let God,” right?
Regardless of your religious or philosophical beliefs (or aversion to them), ultimately, accepting what is, will give you the greatest peace of mind.
So what’s with all this nonsense of panicking and over-buying products?
I find peace in knowing that I cannot control what happens. I can only control my response to it.
I find peace in feeling like I am a part of something much bigger than myself and what I give – large or small – may help others. Maybe not. Who knows?
But one thing this corona virus won’t change is that I will be kind, thoughtful, and mindful of how I behave and treat others.
Surrender is accepting what is. No judgment. No fear. No panic.
I am not a religious person, but I am very spiritual. I find comfort in this. I’m not constricted by the biblical requirements that tell me what it is to be a good person. I’m good to everyone.
Rather, I accept what is.
People are overwhelmingly politicizing this pandemic which is ludicrous. At the end of the day, we are all human. I tend to think whether my liberal or conservative friends agree on doesn’t matter because at their core, they are good human beings who don’t want to see others suffer.
The difference, in my opinion, is that one wants the government to fix it and the other wants to choose who they help (yes, I realize this is putting it in quite simple terms).
Regardless, the common denominator is helping others.
To me, this is what we, as a human organism on this planet, need to be focusing on. Our common denominator.
Cristina Johnson, Vagabond Writer 