Nothing like a virus to remind us all that we are human. It doesn’t believe in national borders or money.
And sadly, at this moment we can’t even agree to not politicize a health threat. Or see a person as a life, not a $.
Maybe this is what the world needs to be reminded on how we are not just a nationality, a political affiliation, an immigration status, a race, a gender, sexuality, a consumer, a shopper or a follower.
We are human beings. Every single one of us.
It reminds me of how we’re more similar than different. Not different as me versus you or us versus them.
Similar to our vulnerability and susceptibility.
We are unique individual beings, but we are not different human beings.
Beings created not to fight one another because of our diversity but created with diversity to ensure survivability.
We all share more goals that unite us, yet find clever ways to divide us.
Life is precious but we’ve been acting like it isn’t.
We have a common enemy and it isn’t with another life. It’s our own misguided belief we can survive alone when we actually need each other to survive and systems to thrive.
This virus reflects the virus that’s been in our society. The ugliness and discourse we’ve accepted as normal. The belief that we are nationally isolated when in fact we are globally integrated.
The shock of the market is shocking many people in their core.
Some have woken to the reality, with the stock market freefall, that high stock valuations didn’t mean a higher quality of life.
Some who focus too much on building up financial portfolios and sacrificed time with family and friends just to make or save one more dollar.
Some realizing now with the markets down how that money and time are gone.
And ironically in times of crisis are now looking for the friends they easily dismissed and ignored during their “focus” on financial goals over cultivating deeper friendships and life goals.
Surely, the markets will climb back up.
But are you left to sit alone staring at the numbers or fortunate to sit with friends and wait out the madness?
A virus, sickness, illness or disease doesn’t care about our finances or what divides us. But you know who will care about our sickness, illness, disease, and our well-being? The people we’ve nurtured around us.
So when the markets are up and you are doing well make sure you do good with the people around you. For when the markets are down and our bodies are ill we have people with us, the family, the friends, the neighbors, and the strangers to hope for a better tomorrow, together.
