My blog is written in response to David Brooks' April 2 article in the New York Times on this same subject. He is one of many probing and thoughtful writers and opinion leaders we are so blessed with in our country.
The way my family and I have been coping with the Age of the Coronavirus, has been to turn the quarantine into a long retreat; to use this time as an opportunity to focus our thoughts and wandering minds on the First Noble Truth of Buddhism, the Truth of Suffering. I don't believe there could be a more powerful way to bring this awareness into our awakened mind. The massive scale of mounting deaths, the degree of human suffering and crippling impact on our economy has been without mercy or parallel. How and when this pandemic will end is still, at best, a guesstimate. However, the countless stories of bravery, kindness and generosity that are emerging from this plague inspire us. They bring tears to our eyes and give us courage and hope. To the doctors, nurses, first responders and so many others who are the heroic warriors on the front line, I am inspired and humbled by your dedication to service and humanity. I offer my prayers for your safety and the safety of your loved ones.
To those of you close to home, I thank you for your kindnesses. I was touched by a next-door neighbor who is a nurse practitioner. She sent me the message, “… be sure to call me whenever necessary.” She rightly guessed my age to be in the vulnerable upper seventies and reached out to me. I was touched by her act of kindness.
Meantime, in my family, my nine siblings are spread all over the globe. Three are in China, two in Switzerland, one between the West Village, NYC and Addison, Vermont and one in Sydney. My family and I live on Eastman Lake in New Hampshire. All of us are grateful to be healthy and happy to have one another during this time. Our email traffic has spiked significantly with exchanges of recipes - healthy pickling seems to be very popular- and reminders to one another to keep up with our daily exercise and yoga stretches. Unfortunately, at Eastman Lake, the gym and swimming pool are closed, but long walks along the lake and yoga are only limited by our own negligence or excuse of poor weather. I suspect that the recipes will continue, and as time goes on, more suggestions of good movies, interesting reading and news. Like most families, our discussion of a family reunion will be shelved indefinitely.
The things that concern me most in this unique time are gratitude for good health and the appreciation I cannot take it for granted and a desire for quality time with my family. I am thinking in particular about our two young adult children, who will be graduating from college in a few short weeks and starting their first full time jobs in a new economy.
Elsewhere, I worry how the Coronavirus will play out in India. It is one thing for Prince Gautama to leave his palace to roam the wilderness in search of the truth, and quite another for a teeming populace attempt social distancing in the slums of Bombay.
America once led the world as a beacon of hope. We were admired for our creativity and commitment to freedom and justice. In the face of the current pandemic, we have been caught flatfooted with a shortage of even the most rudimentary masks and protective equipment. Moving forward, we know we must do better. We need to raise our public health standards, make sure health insurance is available for everyone and choose leaders whose vision is more than a matter of knee jerk tribal loyalty. We must choose leaders with the highest of standards. A good place to begin is making sure they possess the quality of selflessness, not selfishness.
Kesang Tashi
With prayers for all….