The Bad News is; Time Flies; the Good News is: You Are the Pilot
—says Michael Altshuler, keynote speaker, corporate sales trainer, and leadership development expert.
Let us take a cue from the above statement. We shall soon find the best way out of the devastating effects of the current pandemic. We have the power to stop it in its tracks from wreaking any more havoc. No one could visualize the force of the raging phenom that brought all forms of life to their knees. Thanks to the valiant efforts of every individual engaged in the front-line prevention, protection, and preparedness initiatives, we can see a sliver of hope, a silver lining, so to say. Depending on our skills, we shall be able to leave the negativity behind and help usher in a renewed sense of progress, pride in human endurance, and reignite the feelings of resilience. We can rekindle the never-say-die instincts so vigorously cultivated by human ingenuity since times immemorial.
*I am often reminded of a tagline used by a luxury auto company over half a century ago. They created an illusion of entitlement to own their vehicle by projecting two contrasting images, one ordinary office chair against an executive chair. The tagline worked like a charm as it portrayed a journey to pastures green, a call for success in life, and above all, a sense of pride in owning their luxury vehicle that not many could afford. Little wonder they captured a fairly large market share by letting the successful clientele appreciate why they must not settle for the ordinary. Comparing that scenario with the current climate of recovery from a devastating pandemic may not find favor with some of my readers, but the fact speaks for itself. We are looking forward to a long-sought-after release from restrictions (not just monetary, of yore) but also those that confine the entire human race to a prison-like environment. We are keenly looking forward to physical, psychological, social as well as economic recovery so better days could usher in without much delay.
We are at the cusp of freedom from restrictions in a significant fashion, even if not 100%. This should, by itself, be a cause for celebration. However, the danger is not over as yet. There are lurking strains, supposedly even more dangerous than the ones we managed to overcome through liberal use of vaccines so efficiently developed by the medical community, within the shortest possible time-frame imaginable.
Face-mask, the ubiquitous sign of supposed protection against catching the COVID-19 virus, seems to be on its way out. Tell-tale signs emerge almost regularly how some sections of our society resist the use of the same, at an unimaginable cost to other unwary fellow human beings. No wonder, there would be lots of jubilation among these groups, and perhaps rightly so. However, I am a firm believer in the time-tested philosophy to ‘err on the side of caution.’ Yes, both I and my wife, the only two occupants of our house, have received both the mandated doses of Pfizer vaccine. But, the occasional news of those of my ilk still catching the virus tells me to be extra-cautious. It could well be because we are Senior Citizens, both of us. But, those still in the prime of their youth can glean some lessons on self-protection with the observance of a little conservative approach towards premature celebration, I’m quite sure.
Perhaps, hygiene has rightly received a lot of attention over the last year and a half, and rightly so. But, does it mean we can freely go back to the days of yore, throwing caution to the wind? I would let you decide. If only we made frequent hand-washing and using sanitizer at frequent intervals an integral part of our daily lives, I’m positive we shall be well-prepared to stop the spread of any future virus attack whether intentional or accidental.
This morning happened to give me one great piece of news related to the phenomenal jump of $25.6 Trillion in U.S. household net worth, courtesy bloomberg.com.
It gave me a sense of relief in the sense that our economy is robust enough to weather the storm, and catapult itself back into motion in the near future.
Day-in and day-out, we hear the news of a widening labor shortage, the trend of telecommuting phasing out in-office work environment, the unprecedented growth of E-commerce, the joy and the elation among the masses deprived of the freedom to celebrate important milestones in their lives, to gather in groups both large and small, to congregate for religious ceremonies or to attend religious services in person, the prospect of traveling far and wide, to eat out in restaurants and sharing meals with families and friends, etc. There is an unlimited number of scenarios that shall bring us both relief and joy at the same time, and rightfully so. And yet, you will find, in the same crowds of people, certain eccentric individuals like myself that refuse to let go of the precautions just yet.
It is not my intent to force my possibly ill-conceived precautionary attitude on anyone, nor do I suggest that you should pay attention to my outburst. But, let us not forget the wisdom inherent in the age-old dictum: “An ounce of precaution is better than a pound of cure.”
Thank You!
