There are extraordinary little and big moments happening all around us, every day, in spite of these unprecedented, difficult and uncertain times surrounding COVID-19. These big and small moments highlight humanity’s greatest strength and values. These values, for time immemorial have helped us embrace, adapt, thrive and evolve as they are doing so even today.
These values of Empathy & Compassion, Resilience & Courage, Agility & Innovation are showing up in little and big moments everyday. And while we know that this virus is contagious, we also must acknowledge that so are these human values – contagious! And hopefully sometime in the future, when we read about the year 2020 and this time when humanity fought with COVID-19, we would also be reminded how we came out strong by living, caring and creating a positive contagion of these values everyday.
I’d like to highlight a small sample of such moments that have been heart warming and reflect the best of us! Something that we should feel awesome about! These human stories, I would like to always remember in years forth as a reminder of all that’s wonderful in our world!
Do you have such stories to share? Type in the comment section and let’s start a contagion as a reminder of humanity’s beautiful values!
- Our healthcare staff, doctors, volunteers, and support staff all across the world putting themselves on the front lines, travelling cities and countries to treat those who are suffering most, amid shortages of personal protective equipment. An epitome of Empathy, Courage, Compassion and Resilience!
- Retail workers in grocery shops, and essential service staff taking care of citizens around local and global communities.
- Citizens pitching in their time, money and muscle to support communitie, children, senior members, families, and whomsoever needs support at this time. Be it food drives, shopping support, food deliveries etc. etc.
- Governments stepping in to extend important deadlines or stepping in to provide financial relief to ease their citizen’s lives during this crisis.
- Property owners telling restaurants to pay their employees, not rents! Landlords flexing to delay tenant rents!
- Grocery stores creating dedicated elderly hours to minimize exposure for our senior population and strengthening online ordering, deliveries, and pick-ups for the general public.
- Schools administrators and teachers working at such quick notice to develop learning opportunities as well as online classes for students to keep the school curriculum and year on track.
- Organizations pivoting very quickly to manufature much needed medical supplies and healthcare equipments.
- The sprint to develop a CV vaccine across the world. Humanity’s agility and ability to innovate is a known strength that has helped us evolve and survive. This continues to trump and could not be more true now.
- Cities coming together in solidarity and showing gratitude through such sweet and memorable actions – clapping en-masse across communities and different countries to acknowledge healthcare service providers, fly-bys by defence services, Christmas lights to spread cheer, and flowers or thank you notes left on vehicles at healthcare facilities as a token of gratitude just to name a few.
- Nutritionists and other health experts connecting through live sessions and providing guidance in real time for strengthening and sustaining our immune system.
- Thought leaders (spiritual or otherwise) sharing their powerful voice and guidance to advocate the voice of calm and reason, alleviating anxieties and stress in communities, over this pandemic, all over the world. This is taking such a powerful shape through online meditation sessions, yoga sessions, and deep breathing resources.
What we also need to remind ourselves is to practice self-compassion. To extend loving kindness to ourselves and give permission to feel whatever it is that we are thinking and feeling each day amid this crisis. To acknowledge, accept and be patient with ourselves as much with others.
And to remind ourselves to remember – This too shall pass!