“I thought 2020 would be the year I get everything I want. Now I know 2020 is the year I appreciate everything I have.”
– Simon J. New Earth Cooking
When we heard about Covid19, what comes to mind? A deadly virus? Broken economy? Your job? Conspiracy? Hmmmm, maybe.
How the media wrote about Covid19 in Indonesia is wasting my energy and creating so much worry. They tell us all perspectives and opinions that they made but not the truth and fact. It made us worry more than we should. And also they highlight the number of dead victims, making us focus on how deadly this virus can be. Especially if you are living in the “traditional” community who don’t read more about the pros and cons of Coronavirus, they will easily believe that it is super truly dangerous. Even some kids in my neighborhood taught me when you see the victim of corona you will get sick and die. That’s how bad the parents told their kids in my village. I tried to tell the kids my perspective. They were surprised when I said Covid19 is like the flu.
The government makes it worse when they will fine you if you leave your house without a mask. The police and soldiers, yes soldiers, will stop everyone on the road who is without a mask. Even though somebody is in her car alone (!) without a mask, she gets fined a hundred thousand rupiah. To be honest, I am not a big fan of masks since I have GERD and it makes it difficult for me to breathe. .
Since the virus news exploded in March, people are aware of social distancing, they are afraid to leave their homes, less hugging friends, stop visiting people, no cinema, the public place is closed. People are bored, alone and desperate. .
The only thing happy in this situation is nature. The sky is brighter, the birds are flying happier, the sea is clearer, the fish are swimming freely, the animal is fearless. Like some people assumed in social media, Corona is not a virus, it is a vaccine for the earth. I guess Covid19 is a conspiracy that nature and God made.
Believe it or not nature has been better off since we, humans, have been hiding in our caves. I don’t say that it is better for us to stay away from nature, but in my opinion, let’s give nature space and time to breathe. The earth is not only for humans. We should share this with the other species. Let us be silent for a moment. We talk about nature too much but don’t listen to it.
Enjoy this precious moment of staying home.How many times you told your bed you miss it so much. Finish the book that you never end, cook the recipe that you really want to try, watch the movie that you postpone many times, write the story that you always imagine of, make the idea that you dream of, and look at your children or spouse face, read their face as if you will paint them, listen to their silly stories like it is the first time. Because when this conspiracy ends, you miss all of this moment. You will regret it and please don’t wish for another virus to appear, okay?
I think this virus was sent by God to restart the world. We walk too fast, we work too hard, we consume too much, we ask too much . STOP! The gong has been hit. It is time to stay for a moment. Take a deep breath. Take a moment to rest our mind, our ambition, and our ego. We, humans with the ideas and technology that we have, we think we can play with time, distance even the world.
But we forget who actually throws the dice.
October 2020
