A Letter from the Home Front
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Dear Corona,
I must say you are quite the impressive foe: invisible and silent with a mind-boggling global reach. It feels like you snuck up on us in the middle of the night. We had heard nervous whispers about you for months, yet most people shrugged them off and carried on like nothing would change. Then all of a sudden, everything changed. Life as we know it ground to a halt as the entire world shifted focus to fighting you. Each day, more and more people are being called to the front lines, unknowingly selected for the fight of their lives — the fight for their lives. They are supported by an incredible team of medical professionals, scientists and world leaders working around the clock to defeat you.
The rest of us are holding down the fort on the home front, slowly adjusting to our new reality.
And since we’re stuck home with lots of time on our hands, I thought I’d write you a letter — yes, a good old-fashioned letter. But don’t worry, Corona. Despite everything I’ve said, this isn’t hate mail. Believe it or not, it’s actually a thank you note. Because while you’ve taken so much, you’ve also given us more than you can imagine. Let me share a few of these unexpected gifts with you.
HUMILITY
We think we have control over our lives. We go to school, get jobs, establish routine, plan for the future…Corona, if you’ve taught us anything, it’s that this semblance of control is all an illusion. There are forces bigger and stronger than us that can upend our entire world in an instant. When life returns to normal — and I fully believe it will — we will reestablish our everyday routines and habits. Yet we can’t let ourselves fall back into the old trap of thinking we are masters of our fate. If harnessed properly, this newfound gift of humility can imbue our daily lives with a profound sense of gratitude and awe. So thank you, Corona.
If harnessed properly, this newfound gift of humility can imbue our daily lives with a profound sense of gratitude and awe.
ACCEPTANCE
Sometimes, we can’t change our circumstances. As beings who crave agency and autonomy, this can be a tough pill to swallow. Corona…