It has been a little over two months since the World Health Organization declared what began as a local epidemic in China a global pandemic. West Africa’s political giant, Nigeria, had her own index case sometime in late February.
With the global confirmed cases fast approaching 0.1% of the World’s population, it appears there’s no stopping this virus.
Finally, some may think, humanity has met its waterloo especially with the gloomy submission that the virus may in fact, become a part of our lives for years to come.
In this raging deep sea of affliction, it however is becoming clear that the world has suddenly become energized and gathered momentum to beat the odds.
This bug, this virus, this ruthless and ice-cold emissary of the clan of death may have forced its way into our ways of life and thought process. It may have undressed our most sheltered but worst fears. It certainly has made the grave a resting place for hundreds of thousands.
The problem is, the collective will of the world for survival is undefeated and has been for centuries.
This virus, like the Great war of the 1910s, the Spanish flu of 1918, the great depression of 1929, the 2nd Global War (including Hitler’s extermination of Jews) and countless pockets of events that led to human slaughter (slip in there the sinking of the Titanic in 1912), underestimated the resolve of the world to get back up after being knocked and left for dead on the canvas.
As one who had primary contact (while on duty) with a patient who succumbed to this Virus (God rest his soul) and thus had to serve the mandatory 14 days away in quarantine (a ridiculously free time for me), I spent time studying how the world reacted to each and every one of these disasters and has been the better for it.
My personal favorite was the Second World War. The 75th anniversary of whose cessation fell rather interestingly during this period where humanity has to fight like hell for its soul.
More than half of Europe decimated by a swift and nasty combination of Hitler’s Luftwaffe and Panzers division in what was described as Blitzkrieg, Japan fire-balled to a point of surrender and Six Million Jews mercilessly executed as part of the final solution.
75 years later, the continent of Europe (including Germany) is now the envy of the world in governance, peace and unity. Japan leads in the way in the intellectual and modern battle of a technologically-powered 21st Century and the nation of Israel stands strong.
We are tough as nails (history proves that over and over again). We never blink first. We never stay down. We forget our differences and go full-throttle Ubuntu.
More important than the scenery was the message. The indication that humanity is about to pull off another one of its comeback in the face of another disaster. An indication that it is willing to start with the little things but will be on the upward march.
 |
| Sir Winston churchill |
A man who etched his name in history as a political hero of the WW2 and probably the finest Prime Minister in the history of the United Kingdom, Sir Winston Churchill once remarked in his first speech as Prime Minister (at a time Hitler’s Luftwaffe Pilots reigned non-stop terror from the air in relentless aerial bombardments over British skies)
“…Victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no survival”
You see, the idea of victory must be sewn in seams into the fabric of our being. Victory must resonate in the very depth of our soul.
With this in mind, while we mourn those who we have lost to this pandemic (as I do the fine gentleman whose passing I agonizingly witnessed), we must care for and hope on behalf of those whose lives hang by a thread.
We must also say heartfelt prayers for those on the frontlines while we appreciate the genuine difficulty and agony those who make the tough calls in government experience.
At the same time, little victories must cheer us readily. News of patients discharged must by all means hug the headlines. They must never play second fiddle to the more sensational news of deaths. The return of German Club football and the imminent return of other leagues (even the UEFA Champions’ League) must excite us.
And yes, we should celebrate the return to school of pupils in Ground Zero, Wuhan, China and in the Scandinavia.
This bug, this damn bug, has not what it takes to decimate the soul of mankind. There’s no alternative to victory here folks.
We either win or win.
And we shall indeed, overcome!
Comments
Post a Comment