As they say, you come out with the best in extreme pressure. Well, with the pandemic right amongst us, many of us have never experienced any thing like such a crises in our lives.
I cannot recall anything that remotely resembles a world crises of this nature. This is as extreme as it can go. How cruel can is it when you can not even touch your loved ones and in many cases you cannot even be with them at the time when their soul leaves their body.
In some ways this is somewhat a welcome experience in my life as otherwise I would never appreciate what what a pandemic really is. This is an invisible vapour that has turned the world upside down in the way that our living generations would not have imagined.
There is always a silver lining with any crisis. And I observe that this silver lining is the unprecedented and wonderful humanitarian acts from the wide range of community. Such behaviour would never have been witnessed were it not for the COVID crises.
Look at the example of Captain Tom, who at 99 years of age has managed to raise more than £28 m just by walking the length of his garden for 100 times. He only hoped to raise £1000. What a great human initiative but also what an amazing community that has willingly contributed from their own resources.
Have we ever seen an act when millions of people step out of their homes at the same time, separate yet together, and clap for the NHS workers or for anyone! This is is when there may not even be any NHS staff nearby to listen! In normal times, one would only describe this as an act of fools.
In India with the population of 1.3 billion, the Prime Minister Modi was able to sway the whole country to switch off their lights and light a lamp at exactly 9 pm and for 9 minutes! Simply astonishing. I must admit that such acts have brought tears in my eyes and a glow of hope in my heart. The vibrations of such acts spread wishes of goodwill and human power in to the Universe.
So many people have started initiatives of giving in the community whether it is delivering hot meals , fruits or toiletries for the NHS staff or running soup kitchens and free food for the needy.
Simple people like Pankaj Shah, a safari operator in Nairobi has spearheaded a voluntary effort to feed 24,000 families in Kenya. This is a pure selfless task which has attracted donations of money and food from many Kenyans, both black and Asians.
Then there are temples and organisations like Iskcon, Jalaram mandir and Bramhakumaris who are providing incredible and dedicated support by conducting prayers using the zoom app. I have to mention the dedication of Vinubhai Kotecha, who has been in the front line in supporting families when they have lost their family member by conducting the last rights at home and at the crematorium using modern technology.
Simple acts of my nephew, Raaj in High Wycombe, to deliver a leaflet in all residences in a close where he was doing a delivery to an elderly customer, requesting all other residents to come out at a specific time to give a big applause wishing a happy 90 th birthday for the customer’s husband are so nice to see. She said this was the best birthday celebration that her husband had ever had!
We have beautiful human beings amongst us. I salute them!
