30 APR 2020 — A DARKEST DAY OF COVID TIMES
30th April 2020, is just a bad day for all of us here in Maldives and so will be the next few coming days — as we move towards the higher spike of the COVID19 Curve with more positive cases surfacing. One might need to learn to keep the positivity following and remain calm during these testing times! We as for a fact new this was coming and this was inevitable. As we keep saying that
Stay Home, Stay Safe & We’re in this together
While trying to address the elephant in room by acknowledging the fact that this is not something unanticipated. We were continuously warned, advised and cautioned by highest of the authorities starting from the President to Doctors to even by yourselves.
Everyone had and has a role to play — the 15 days prior to the lockdown gave an idea of how responsible we where to these requests and repeated warnings as the numbers started to explode. During the course of 15 days from 1st April to 15th April 2020, I personally had 20 Direct Contacts & this was when we were asked to practice physical distancing.
Male’, the capital city of Maldives was considered as the most likely epicenter of the outbreak if it happens and also the most difficult to manage once an community outbreak is kicked in. Over the last few months authorities came together and formed teams, did multiple scenario based excerises to understand what would happen when an outbreak happens. Even the most developed countries in the world are struggling to contain or matter of fact understand this further.
But we are talking about Male’ City, one of the world most densest city and one where a community spread means, its on the loose like a maniac out for vengeance. A city which houses a large migrant work force both legal and illegal living in the poorest conditions, cramped and suffocated is not a new story for anyone of us. Male’ City itself is an unplanned urbanised city with congestion and a prehistoric centric focus development over many decades leading to wide spread inequality, with high cost of living and a very low standard of living. These are the key ingredients for the ticking bomb!
The current numbers of soaring high expat community testing positive was never a surprise to the authorities or to us. They have been the block of concrete development we have so far, whether its from construction to farming or to even tourism — the major contributor to our GDP, they play the significant role.
Nevertheless we are going to survive this and as much we love to believe this, we need to learn to coexist & live with love and compassion for one another. We need to embrace others for who they are and not where they are from and what faith they belong. The hatred we build within ourselves, is what is going to consume us at the end.
Everything that happens around us, happens for a reason and there is always something to learn. If there is anything to learn this pandemic — we can learn that our vote is priceless & it shouldn't be a commodity to be put on sale.
So think before you decide to elect someone to represent you based not on party affiliation or relationship in the future. Consider qualities over others & question whether this person is going to make a better future for you and the generations while accounting a debt of gratitude to mother earth. This pandemic worldwide is showing that the decision we made to elect our leader or representatives is what makes the final call on how we adapt and progress.
We have given in to too much greed, too much narcissism — feeding our ego and our wealth. Not understanding the pain of others or the society. We have turned into cannibals scavenging on others skin. We need to change!
Reflect back on what we have done for that one moment of our happiness which made so many others sad and depressed. Reflect on what we have done to this earth. Let’s be better humans. This is the time for that!
Switch off yourself from the daily COVID updates, take a moment for yourself — develop a new skill, interact with your family and share light moment with your friends over a call. Give your mental self the much needed break, let the emotions be guided by happiness of your own and those who mean to you. This is the time to give back and embrace life.
“After every storm, there is a rainbow. If you have eyes, you will find it. If you have wisdom, you will create it. If you have love for yourself and others, you won’t need it.”― Shannon L. Alder
