Three answers to the question: How do you cope with basic needs at a time when Covid-19 happened suddenly?

Truly and honestly how do you manage or cope with basic needs at a time when Covid-19 happened suddenly?

  1. For some nationalities and more particularly the underserved or those with less in life, their answer was both real and painful. We are not worried anymore because it is an everyday reality. When an interviewer asked one of them about “washing one’s hands as often as possible” the mother smiled and said to the effect, water is scarce here so whatever water we can have, we use it for other things like cooking meal for the day or for more important things. She hastily added, God will help us somehow. For the others, especially those who have enough in life, they buy all the things that money can buy. One tv commentator shared their secret, the rich go to their favorite destination or to one of their other houses!;
  2. Mothers and other caregivers think more of the welfare of their children and make sure the young have everything they need to feel comfortable. Sometimes they forget their own welfare such that they have to be reminded to consider their own health too. Covid-19 will definitely make them use all resources to plan for healthy food, ready medicines for emergencies and protective gear for untoward condition. The fathers do their share by making sure there is money for emergency needs and letting the family feel secure by his presence; and
  3. Since Covid-19 has become pandemic and remains not fully grasped but makes every person ever fearful, what needs to be done is to remain strong and hopeful. With every leader trying to help minimize our insecurity we harness the best of our innermost strength. As human beings we can help each even in small ways but always we can start at home. We can use all the holidays to clean every corner of our house; clean the front yard, the back yard, plant seedlings, prune the trees, re-arrange the potted plants and other similar undertaking. There is never enough time to be creative so now is the time. The “lockdown” can “unlock” your innate magic to do something productive. We should never allow Covid-19 to win. We are made in the “image and likeness of the Creator” so Covid-19 may cause havoc but it will go away.

How then do we cope with this most recent crisis called Covid-19? Definitely difficult and for some it may even cost them their lives but we will survive!

Dilemma: Jubilee Celebration vs. Covid-19 “Lockdown”

The young adults speak of reunions way back their high school years as they continue their professional lives. But 50 years? In this case 1970-2020- This is one rare opportunity to see each other again when most of the batchmates have NOT seen each other for 50 years and most of them are in their early 70’s. What a feat! So what can we say about Jubilee Reunions?

As the term implies, reunion can be dissected as uniting again especially when a long time has lapsed since the time they last saw each other like 50 years ago!. What is most significant when this happens or will happen? So meetings were called. When these gatherings were called they were planned to be joined with special events like birthdays or fiestas. In some instances many would come while in some fewer than 10 of the expected 50 or so. Patience and understanding are two of the many ingredients why the plan is pushed.

Finally the dates are set: April 17 for arrival and pre-acquaintance moments and April 18 for the grand Jubilee celebration. The committees are set and everyone is set to wait for the said dates.

Then Covid-19 scare comes along and so we are left in a dilemma…

But at the back of our senior citizen minds, it is not really a dilemma. After all, the elderly are the ones who are the most vulnerable and the target of Covid- 19 infection…Indeed a sad reality but is one we have to accept and especially because we are all senior citizens.

So dilemma or not, we are left with our anchor: our faith, hope and love in the One who gave us this gift of long life. Perhaps we can plan a re-schedule…an openness to a future that is freed from Covid- 19 not only for our good but for each one of us in the whole world.