Perspectives During A Pandemic
Reading Past the Headlines
9 weeks. 9 weeks of crowding round the TV at 5pm. 9 weeks of death, anxiety and claustrophobia. 9 weeks of uncertainty, fear and isolation. Coronavirus has brought the UK together whilst being so far apart in an unprecedented time of chaos and sadness. But while we’re jumping at the sound of the BBC news notification, hoping for a sense of comfort and progress, instead we’re met with the death figure climbing ever higher despite our best efforts to follow the rules. We have been so consumed by the news, the numbers, the rules and regulations that we have forgotten that while society may have come to a standstill, the world still moves on. I think perspective in times like this is key. Looking at the situation from the positives rather than focusing on the negatives may seem cliché but is critical for both society and individual health. Spending weeks upon weeks following every briefing obsessively, reading the live feed in between breaks while working hard during the required hours will strip you of any essence of faith, leaving you to become a product of the news. Instead of spending every meal-time discussing the news, each conversation with your isolated family members miles away echoing government guidelines, let’s talk about something else. ANYTHING ELSE!
While we’ve been caught up in the virus, we have missed huge milestones and accomplishments around the world every day.
In the last week, turning points have been made that have changed people’s lives. A 2018 Californian wildfire started by PG&E equipment took the lives of 84 people. Last week, the company agreed to plead guilty to the charges and paid $4million in fines while funding restoration for residents who lost access to water due to the fire. This has impacted the lives of 84 families and relieved them of some grief knowing the responsible are being held accountable for the damage and destruction they caused. The death penalty is a controversial subject area, but it is argued by many that there is evidence of people being t r e a t e d i n a n u n e t h i c a l a n d d i s c r i m i n a t o r y m a n n e r w o v e n throughout. It has also seen many innocent people executed for crimes they did not commit, with 156 people since 1973 being released from this punishment upon evidence they were in fact innocent. Last week, Colorado became the 22nd state to repeal the death penalty, meeting 60% of American’s wishes.
On March 15th, we were focused intently on the deaths rising from 21 to 35, one of these deaths in Scotland. We forgot to grieve for the lives lost on March 15th 2019, where an Australian white supremacist killed 51 worshippers at two mosques in New Zealand. However, Brenton Tarrant’s initial denial of being involved in this act of terrorism changed last week. He now pleads guilty, providing some relief to the “Many people whose lives were shattered by what happened on March 15th” (Jacinda Arden, NZ Prime Minister). Tarrant will now spend life in prison.
17
