Even in the darkest of times, the optimists amongst us hold on to hope that things will right themselves before we hurtle headlong over the precipice.
Right now, we are living through very serious fears and uncertainties wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic. We have seen people die ‘like flies’, to borrow a local analogy, in countries with much bigger economies and vastly more advanced healthcare and social infrastructure — such as Italy, Spain, China, the United States, France, Britain and Germany.
As if sickness and death are not enough, enforced lockdowns in a bid to reduce infections have wrought unprecedented economic carnage on a global scale.
But being stuck at home gives us all plenty of time to ponder life and our role in the scheme of things. Even with all the uncertainties, fears and worries, home frees us from the monotony and drudgery of the daily workplace grind and commute.
We can now make time for serious thought to who we are, where we’ve come from, where we are and where we are going. At a personal level, it’s the ideal time to build fresh bonds with our loved ones.
We can endure the pain of enforced separation while aware that pre-curfew and lockdown we may have drifted apart from our children, parents and siblings. There are all those visits we didn’t make to our parents or grandparents in the village on the feeble excuse that we were too busy making a living in the big city. Now we could not even make that rare trip over Easter.
We have time to think about our children, who may be marooned in other localities, towns or even abroad, and also enjoy the wonders of reconnecting on group video calls through Zoom, Google Hangout, Jitsi Meet and other marvels of modern technology.
Nothing, though, beats the physical gestures of love and appreciation that we have always taken for granted — the handshake, the hug, the kiss, the pat on the back.
We can look back to where we may have failed as parents and consider our responsibility for the development of that child who let us down and if there is room to make amends.
This is the time to reconnect, to renew and repair relationships starting from the family level and on to the neighbourhood, community and wider society. We have to participate in communal efforts, offering hope and support for those rendered destitute by the economic ravages of the coronavirus.
We have to spare a thought for those forced to see off loved ones in small, hurried and brief ceremonies; alien ways in communities accustomed to extended funeral rituals, large fundraising and prayer gatherings and burials attended by hundreds.
Meanwhile, we will be pondering the post-corona scenario. There are no guarantees that we will get our jobs back, and if at all, at the previous level of remuneration.
Right now, many employers are doing their own projections based on new realities. They are thinking that they no longer need to invest in brick and mortar edifices if employees can work just as well from home. They are looking at permanently reducing employee headcounts and slashing the associated costs and bureaucracies by relying more on outsourcing and contract workers.
We have to think about survival on reduced pay, and how we will meet commitments on rents, schools fees, loans and other expenses. If unable to bridge the difference, then, no doubt, we have to scale down our lifestyles.
That is not necessarily bad. It will also force us to pay closer attention to the society we live in, and our hopes, desires and aspirations.
Coronavirus has been a great leveller. It strikes rich and poor without discrimination and denies our ruling potentates the luxury of flying out for ‘advanced’ medical treatment in Delhi, London, Paris and Johannesburg at the first hint of a common cold.
Neither does it distinguish between students who attend swanky private schools that qualify to host presidential election debates and those from public schools that can only serve as polling centres.
After corona, we need to demand a just and equitable society, where quality healthcare, education and social services are available to all, not only the wealthy and powerful.
However, that society will not come about by accident but by the quality of leaders we vote into office. We can only reshape this country to match our aspirations by freeing ourselves from the shackles of ethnic mobilisation devoid of discernible policies and prescriptions.
The coronavirus cloud may have come with its silver lining, after all.
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