If this near-sighted Ibaloy writer had his way, all news would be good news and everything is light and bright and merry for everyone.
However, reality has a way of thwarting and bursting even the best of intentions and wishes. Much as we hate to admit it, the world we live in is not heaven, after all. Reality is, it has been more than a year and yet the dreaded Covid-19 virus is still around wrecking considerable havoc to lives and livelihoods not only in our country but also all over the world. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic that, unfortunately, our generation is faced with and have to deal with the best way we can.
If there is a time that people all over should the world unite against a common cause – beating the virus – it is now. Now is the perfect moment where we must put our differences and prejudices aside even if temporarily (better permanently) whether this be race, religion, skin color or whatever, if we hope to have a fighting chance in defeating this deadly and invisible enemy that allegedly started in Wuhan, China, our beloved President’s favorite country. Just kidding, trolls.
Anyway, based on news reports from legitimate traditional and social media sources, it has been a see-saw of good news and not-so-good news so far. While the good news is that vaccination is currently rolling out in all, or most, countries, the not-so-good news is that surges of infections are occurring in many nations including in the Philippines. Covid-19 variants have also been detected by medical experts that are contributing to the spike in cases.
Although I am not a religious and church-going person, to the dismay of my dear mother, maybe it is time that we pray more and ask the help of God (or whatever divine entity we believe in) to intercede and make this terrible disease disappear. These are desperate times, after all, and as they say, desperate times deserve desperate measures. If a higher power is what is needed, then maybe we can all exhort, pray, chant or meditate for this higher power to help us. Besides, we can all agree that we need all the help we can get right now. Peace.
Here’s “This is my letter to the World” by Emily Dickinson: “This is my letter to the World/ That never wrote to Me/ The simple News that Nature told/ With tender Majesty/ Her Message is committed/ To Hands I cannot see/ For Love of Her Sweet countrymen/ Judge tenderly of Me”
Let’s end with a prayer: “Heavenly Lord, we need Your divine intervention in our lives. We need You to empower our bodies with Your holy presence, and Your arms envelop our minds to soothe this pain. We shall not buckle under the strain and when it’s a new day, our healed body will be a representation of Your power. Thank You, Your holiness for such attention to our lives, and In Christ’s name, Amen.”
May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continue to bless and keep us all safe.
