Hope in a rising pandemic
13.12.2020
Marked by rising number of cases, the COVID-19 pandemic has entered a second wave and is far from over. This heart wrenching news can instantly dim any flickering light of hope remaining in the world. With several unfulfilled months and dreams behind, plus the holidays closing in, it is easy to become frustrated or slip into depression.
The aim of this article however, is to resurrect- as difficult as it may seem, any possible glimpse of hope… because once there is life, there is hope!
The English dictionary defines hope as a feeling of expectation and desire for something to happen or become real. Like faith, it is a strong yearning for a thing which hasn’t happened or doesn’t exist to happen or become existent. It is common knowledge that how we feel is a result of what our senses absorb… particularly things we see and hear. Consequently, we must guard these inlet senses in order to control our feelings which then influence our state of mind. When we focus on the disappointments caused by the pandemic, the feelings of disappointment cloud our minds and hopelessness becomes inevitable. Contrarily, when we remain grateful for the things we still have such as life, despite the unfortunate deaths of over a million people, then, we usher in feelings of contentment and hopefulness. At this point, you may be thinking “Easier said than done”… after all, how do we switch our thoughts on and off like a light bulb?
Certainly, it’s not that easy… cultivating positive thoughts and changing one’s thought patterns and processes is no child’s play and doesn’t happen overnight, but it’s not impossible.
There must be a conscious consistent commitment towards changing our thought habits. First and foremost, resisting the urge watch and listen to anything that triggers sadness such as COVID-19 updates and news would go a long way. This does not translate to avoiding reality, instead, it is understanding and accepting that our feelings cannot change reality. Watching comedy movies, reading uplifting books, and learning a new hobby like cooking are some simple ways to replace news time and keep the mind busy.
A second and equally important way to remain hopeful is to practice meditation. Again, some people may argue that meditation is a means to evade reality or turn-off one’s feelings and thoughts but this is false. Meditation is a healthy way to decongest the mind, it has nothing to do with deceiving oneself or becoming a different person. It helps us channel our energy towards training in awareness and having a healthy sense of perspective. This healthy perspective helps us observe and control our thoughts and feelings without judgement thereby promoting mental health, inspiring hope and wholesome understanding of oneself.
Energy is transferable; consequently, it is important to surround oneself with positive energy both environmentally and socially. By doing so, the human spirit and hope can be lifted and built respectively. Although social distancing has limited the feasibility of being around people, one can recreate a positive energetic environment at home by engaging in fun skill development and hobbies as well as spending quality time with immediate family. Additionally, hope can be ignited through spiritual activities and relationship with one’s faith.The pandemic has changed our world significantly in these past months and it is our common responsibility to overcome this challenging circumstance by doing the right things- Wearing a mask, keeping social distance, washing our hands properly and frequently. The advent of the COVID-19 vaccine by Pfizer is a ground breaking progress which undoubtedly increases our hope that sooner than later, COVID-19 will be history. As always, charity organizations such as BlessWorld Foundation are well positioned to continue supporting communities through aids in these difficult times. We will come out stronger and better, together… let us keep our hope alive