March Madness
Of course, we laughed about the elaborate plan we had to make a paella for the end of the semester celebration, which will now only remain a plan.
It would be a lie to say that we are enjoying our time at home. Family is a blessing and having more time to relax (in the place of commuting is amazing for me), however, it is very difficult to remain seated in front of a screen for the entire day. It is not healthy either. And if we have learned anything, it is that the reason the whole world is in this mess. We have continuously prioritized business and “being productive” over physical and mental health.
Well, there is no wealth without health.
I have been better this past week at organizing my time. Even with the two weeks of spring break, to supposedly adapt to the online environment and staying at home, this transition was undoubtedly abrupt. I do not blame the university but believe that we as a nation should have been better prepared and not neglected infectious disease and dangerous pathogens experts. I interned at the Maryland Health Department and have been very much attached to the discussions in the public health field for around 4 years now, so I have seen the neglect that medical professionals suffer from. Funds are always cut from programs that seem to not “affect the US,” like refugee health, tuberculosis, malaria, etc.
Well, those infectious disease and primary care professionals are the ones at the frontlines fighting, at times unarmed or without enough equipment, to keep our country safe.
NCAA March Madness did not come around this year, but that does not mean that March Madness did not come this year. COVID19 brought forth March, April, May, … and more Madness. We each have our brackets of predictions about total cases count, deaths, end of lockdowns, the return of in-person classes, the return of international travel, and more. To continue with this metaphor, we are waiting for our Final Four: (1) work (2) travel (3) restaurants and outdoor entertainment (4) human touch or no physical distancing.
However, why are we behaving like this? We are hastily rushing to return to “our own normals” just to make ourselves feel better. If this happens will we neglect everyone else in our global community? It may be that it is best for those of us who are more fortunate to be in our homes in this lockdown to learn to empathize with those amongst us who are suffering from deteriorating mental health, lost jobs, and struggles to find food.
And for those of us who are struggling during these times, as so many of us are, we can fight against these tough times by forging new community bonds and strengthening our connections with the people most important to us. These connections are what allow us to all survive and move out of this place.
I hope this moment in history allows us to reflect and create “a new normal,” not to regress to our past selves. The changes we implement for ourselves will ultimately allow us to see the changes we want to see in our societies.
After this pandemic, there will definitely be different rhythms in our discussions about our most pressing global issues, like global food security and climate change. Passion about these issues has to be coupled with a radically painful truth. This truth is about ourselves. Who are we? How do we recognize the flaws in ourselves? I like to argue that the only time to grow is in regular self-isolation and reflection. Once we detach ourselves from the world we must attach our minds to our souls and body. This is the approach we have to take to our world during and after this pandemic. I am afraid we are too drained by our attachment to screens during this time to allow it to be our collective moment to detach. I am not advocating for a complete monk-like departure from the responsibilities of life, but our metamorphosis as individuals and as a global community is only complete if we take the time to grow in our cocoon. Only then will our beautiful butterfly wings fly, captivating even ourselves.
