No, we are not all in the same boat. But in this world where
nothing and no one is independent and isolated, our boats are affected by the
troubles, and joys, of others. As we face a common foe, each one of us is in a
predicament all our own, yet we each have capacity to help make things better.
Without her job, Jane in New York does not know if she can
buy milk for her children next week, while Shahana in Texas is fighting boredom
by checking memes and munching muffins. Akbar in Hyderabad has no way to go to
city to buy stuff, let alone earn a living from his autorickshaw, and Vicky in
Palm Beach stands on exhausted legs bagging groceries for others before she can
pick her own drastically budgeted groceries. Big Tomato Farm is burying onions
and tomatoes by the tons and is eligible for the government handout, and John
stands in line for hours to get a warm meal for the day. Helen, 43, is
struggling to breathe in England while Lin, also 43, recovers slowly in
Singapore. David in Orlando must stay home because of his COPD and heart
disease, while Peter from next door must get to work at the hospital even after
a night up with a colicky baby. A leader
in Europe puts the comfort and safety of her people first, another on another continent
postures moronically, and another elsewhere distracts with mindless clapping.
The enemy is hitting us all and we don’t have the tools to
fight back. What we do have is the ability to support each other with our most
important strength – being there for each other. Don’t play the blame game. Don’t
let ‘news’ dictate your feelings and negate your better principles. Stay home
to support our front lines, reach out to neighbors in need, spend a little more
to help others. Be unselfish, be strong. Now, more than ever, it is essential that
we don’t lose our basic humanity. Whatever our differences –economic, intellectual,
or social status – let us lend a hand wherever we can, even if must stretch a
little. (I will not even qualify
religion as a category of difference – that is not a human situation. It is the
same as categorizing people by the colours they like!!)
We don’t have to be in
the same boat to be there for each other. But in this roiling sea where balance
is key, our boats will collapse too if we cannot keep others afloat.
