We’ve seen how, in the space of weeks, industry can turn on a dime and innovate to produce emergency supplies to frontline workers in a crisis. I expect we’ll be seeing more innovation in the coming months and years to ensure that our communities, economy, and way of life are better prepared for such extenuating and unpredictable scenarios as the one we’re living now.
For us, community development practitioners, this has informed us on how to emphasize more on self-sustainability and working towards self-reliance for those we serve. It has also informed us that hand-to-mouth kind of work is undependable because this can change any time just as the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us.
I have found new hope and new resilience. In solitude—social isolation/distancing—I have doubled my workouts, meditation, and time with family and friends, all the while Zooming to places I have never been before. COVID helped me define what I truly COVET.
There is no unity, “community” is little more than a buzzword, and we are weak because of it. I think no matter what your political views are, nor what your heritage might be, we need to GENUINELY come together for our future well-being.
The only thing I am certain of is that our planet is healing and correcting 200 years of human abuse in just a few weeks. What would it take for us, the world's policy makers and organizations, to see the value of GIFTING the planet 3 days of detox by voluntary lockdown each year? Can we consider what that would create?
Our story can be co-created in this crisis. I share one piece of the story. After the virus, we will be looking at development through a different lens. Hopefully, we will be taking the planetary boundaries as the guideline, instead of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product).
My greatest hope for the post COVID-19 is that people will learn from this experience and try to make the world a better place. That politicians realize it is wrong to cut costs on health care. That people learn to appreciate each other more, be more helpful and less egoistic.