What The Coronavirus Revealed About Humanity

COVID-19 forced everyone to retreat into their homes. For safety and the well-being of others, it was necessary to shelter in place to curb the spread of the disease. During this time apart many have struggled to survive, some have not survived, and others have found ways to make the most of the situation. One thing is for sure, this involuntary quarantine has revealed both good and bad attributes of humanity.

Here are some of my takeaways.    

PEOPLE ARE SELFISH

The first day I went to the grocery store at the beginning of the pandemic (just to pick up some basic items) I was shocked to see empty shelves and a meatless freezer section. I wasn’t very worried about the food. I believe some people thought the stores would shut down or never restock. That fear led many to become selfish and to hoard more than they could eat in a month. I remember thinking that I wished I owned stock in Charmin as I saw people stockpiling toilet paper.

The pandemic, as is the case with most severe situations, has exposed what is in our hearts. Sometimes that’s good but often it reveals the need for growth in many areas. Scripture says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” When we are introduced to the selfishness within our heart, let’s work to address it, not suppress it.

PEOPLE BOND FOR THE GREATER GOOD

Many people have unified in order to make sure that we all make it. No man left behind sounds good but it is rarely fully actualized. Another story I heard near the beginning of the lockdown, was of an elderly gentlemen on a walker, who after a long day of going from store to store was unable to find toilet paper. Upon entering another store a young lady, seeing the man reduced to tears, chose to drive to more stores until she found some toilet paper and then promised to deliver it to he and his wife who had an oxygen tank.

Stories like this one are a necessary counterbalance to the negativity that often dominates news cycles. I believe that there is more regularly occurring bonding than one might think, but when stories of neighbors helping neighbors aren’t highlighted, the image becomes skewed and the outlook grows dim. For example, many churches are ramping up their service to the homeless in their community, charitable giving to support the recently unemployed is commonplace, and aid being sent beyond our borders hasn’t ceased.

PEOPLE ARE FEARFUL

Fear can paralyze you or fear can compel you to find an escape. The quarantine forced people to assess their reality and make some important decisions. Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.” Fear, properly understood and purposefully addressed, can cause us to step outside of our comfort zone and produce what never could have fit within our comfort zone. Solutions are sometimes born out of necessity. The pandemic has leveled the playing field in many respects – although that field may still be slanted uphill for many people. Often, that higher degree of difficulty equates to a higher degree of fear, but it may also equate to higher creativity and a greater opportunity to excel.

If you feel trapped in a meaningless job, a visionless organization, or a pointless venture, now is the time to puruse a different reality. Don’t allow fear to keep you in bondage, but use it instead to propel you to new understandings, new ideas and new perspectives. The new normal doesn’t have to remain grounded in fear.

PEOPLE NEED HUMAN CONTACT

In Chicago, the Mayor shut down the parks and even outdoor walking and biking trails because people were not, of their own volition, obeying the social distancing guidelines. On one particularly sunny day, people were outside grilling, there were house parties and other communal activities. I get it. No one likes to be stuck at home, whether it’s with your kids or alone.

We ALL need community! This is not an optional concept. We have been designed to be in relationship with other people. If one thing has become clear it is the human need for in-person connection. This is why there are zoom parties, virtual church services and interactive e-learning occurring. The blessing in disguise during this pandemic is that it has revealed to us all that perhaps we have taken for granted the joy, growth and affirmation gained when we engage in community with others. May we never forsake that blessing again.

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