Positive Effects of this Pandemic

Today while I was at work, I started crying all of a sudden. Shortly before, I read that Italy had reached 15,000 new cases that day and my sister texted me saying that Europe was getting 1 million new ones a week. As the pandemic is starting its second wave across Europe and will soon reach the United States, the future for what’s left of 2020 is gloomy. I’d like to help alleviate the sadness we’re feeling by thinking back to the positive effects this pandemic has had.

1. People have reached out and helped others whenever they can. Unfortunately, it’s during a crisis when we see the best in people. It seems that we need something tragic to remind us of our kind nature.
2. Pollution across cities decreased. Seeing how much we had been damaging this beautiful precious Earth of ours while we were all locked up at home, in particular not using our cars, made us realize firsthand our contribution to damaging the environment and thereby to climate change. Many of us have opted for alternative modes of transportation: some for environmental reasons, others to avoid public transport. Either way, the effects are being seen.
3. We’re looking after each other more.
4. We’ve remembered the value of personal relationships and affection in our lives.
5. We’re paying more attention to our health and hygiene.
6. We’re spending more time outdoors breathing fresh air. People are doing sports and exercising outside instead of inside a dirty, sweaty, smelly gym. Restaurants have been allowed to have more tables outside and the streets are filled with outdoor cafés. People are riding bikes and scooters all over the city, or even walking more, instead of riding in their cars alone or on public transport while staring at their phones.
7. Some of us have turned to creative outlets to deal with the frustration felt while being stuck at home, producing beautiful works of art that will be forever remembered and cherished in the future when people look back at what we’ve lived through.
8. People have realized things that they don’t actually need in life and reprioritized aspects of their life. Others have noticed they don’t mind staying home allowing them to take pleasure in the simple things in life: cooking a meal with a loved one or close friend, watching the sunset, listening to music, reading a book…

So as we’re about to start spending more time at home again, let’s remember these and take joy in them rather than worry about the future because worry and stress don’t do us any good.

Please share your positive experiences during this strange, challenging, but interesting year.