Suddenly, fear has gripped the world. Not just a village or a township, not just a country, but six billion the world over are petrified. Every sneeze is looked with fear and every sniffle, suspicion.
Political leaders who sneered and jeered are now refraining from playing Holi and leaving the country, and religious leaders now advocating caution, even with the very ingredients they used in their religious uplifting, like holy water and other supposedly miraculous mysteries!
How do you and I look upon the virus? It depends on how you and I look on death?
World famous author, and motivational coach Jeroninio ‘Jerry’ Almeida in his books and talks says that to be reminded everyday of death prompts us to remember our mortality, and motivates us to produce the best every day.
If I knew I was going to die today, everything I do today will automatically find purpose.
Which means the thought of the corona virus instead of causing us to continue in our own selfish paths could instead change our focus to being a better human being for the few hours, days or weeks we think we have left.
Instead of thinking this land called India belongs to just one group of people, we start realizing we may soon leave it in smoke from a crematorium chimney or become bones in a burial ground and might as well, share this temporary piece of earth with others who also consider themselves Indians.
Or maybe the virus needs to get even closer for that to happen?
The other thought that strikes me as the fear of corona looms over us, is, “Are YOU afraid to die?” and if so, “Why?”
If we have lived Godly lives, we should not be afraid to travel, or touch the so called holy water, because the door that opens after death, is life with God.
Only, those who are not sure whether God will welcome them or not, are afraid. And maybe we have a little time before the virus hits us to remove that fear. We have time to do things God wants us to do. For starters, “Start loving your neighbour as yourself!” Even if that neighbour belongs to another faith!
Whichever faith you belong to, whichever god you worship, it is only a life of good that will take you fearlessly through the door of death.
So, instead of looking at the corona virus with fear and trepidation, look at it as an opportunity, telling us to quickly change our thinking, because my dear friend, if it’s not the virus, it could be sickness, an accident, or even old age, but ultimately YOU have to face death.
So live today like it is your last, and let our country become a better place transformed by Corona..!
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Read…
DARE by Robert Clements.
It will change your life.
Robert Clements is a newspaper columnist and writes a daily column, which has graced the pages of over 60 newspapers and magazines, from a daily column in the Khaleej Times, Dubai, the Morning Star, London, and in nearly every state in India, from The Statesman in Kolkata, to the Kashmir Times in Kashmir to the Trinity Mirror in Chennai.
Outbreak of coronavirus is reminder to mankind that we are all living in a global village and we should stay united and not divide ourselves into groups and despise one another. The virus , when it attacks, does not discriminate between rich and poor , blacks and whites, atheists and believers.
Corona has like any other disease, served its purpose in levelling humanity !
Death by any means liberates the soul and leads us to eternal life.
One short fright past , like any other virus,
Corona will also lose its crown .
Corona virus or not, ours is not an indefinite sojourn here on Earth. Watch for the Lord cometh when you least expect it and so it is with death. Be ready, be prepared and make a life changing decision to better ourselves right now.
Every Ash Wednesday we are reminded “memento homo quia es pulvis est ad pulverem revertis”. (Remember man thou art dust and to dust thou shalt return”. We are not permanent residents of this world but passengers in transit, if we believe this, there is no reason to fear death.