The Deluge

Resilience is an inherent human quality

The Covid19 pandemic affected one and all irrespective of their race, religion, economics and education. Everyone fought their own battles due to the onset of Covid. Whether it was losing lives or livelihoods, no one was spared. Yet, humankind displayed resilience. The lives of children turned upside down. From going to school and playing outside, young ones took to the new normal of online school and technology driven activities almost overnight.

Healthcare workers were exemplary in their resilience. From treating patients to encountering resistance to vaccinations and even threat to their lives, they rendered services rising beyond their call of duty. Law enforcement personnel put their lives and their families at risk by reining and managing people during lockdowns and shutdowns. People chasing livelihoods swiftly coped by working from home, working for home, schooling children online and doing practically everything from home. For the semiskilled / unskilled / the migrant labour force for whom working from home was not an option, they did all they could to survive.

Gratitude is an eternal value

It is human tendency to take things for granted. Three meals a day, a roof above the head, medical and technological access are considered mundane part of day-to-day life. Covid -19 was a leveller. It reinforced that family and human connect is the very core of existence. Even if it meant staying in touch through technology. While gratitude is thanksgiving for what one has, the pandemic reinforced it further. It manifested not just in feeling blessed but going beyond feeling thankful – helping people and animals alike during challenging times. Whether it was donating entire earnings and savings, or to provide ration to helpless, or adopting pets, a mere kind word to the nursing staff or just paying domestic workers their salaries, all indicated a sense of gratitude. A value that has to be practiced eternally.

Health is wealth

Health is vital. Not only is a family dependent on it, but a country and its economy are dependent on it. The Covid 19 and its subsequent disruption was ample proof. So, it is incumbent on every one of us to make health an absolute priority. Taking vitamin supplements, herbal concoctions and preventive pills is only reaction to a problem after it has set in. As cliched as it may sound, a healthy diet and exercise / meditation routine is the key to being healthy.

Mental health is also wealth

The Covid19 silently took a toll on the mental health of people. People struggled to cope with everything – loss of a loved one, job / income loss, being alone during a lockdown, violence on women or the sheer fear and anxiety of getting infected with Covid19. There were several instances of being ostracised / isolated once infected with the virus. All of this created a silent mental pandemic in itself. Added to it, some of the post covid symptoms itself included temporary memory loss, anxiety and depression. These can be dealt with only by openly acknowledging and talking about, seeking medical help in tackling it. It is time for stigma to be removed around mental health. It is part of our health. Michelle Obama once said, “We need to do a better job of putting ourselves higher on our own ‘to do’ list”. Now is the time.

Financial planning is prudent

Irrespective of people were infected by covid, they were definitely affected by the financial downswing due to Covid pandemic. Salary cuts, loss of daily wage, delayed payments, failure to pay, cancellation of major commercial events, individuals and governments alike have suffered financial / economic losses. Financial planning during force majeure events will at least cushion the blow, if not entirely mitigate the impact.