(A RECOLLECTION)
By: Jocelyn L. Alimondo
The year 2020 is over, but the battle is not.
March 16, 2020 – our world seemed to freeze when Malacanang declared a state of calamity in the whole of our country and placing the entire Luzon under Enhanced Community Quarantine due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. We were all stunned. It was indeed an unprecedented event that almost everyone became panicky. No one was prepared. It was only after several weeks when people and businesses started getting back on their feet again, but it was not the usual normal anymore. Movements were limited. Access to food, transportation, work, and even education has been affected. Then people started to blame others. They started to question God: “Is He punishing us? When will He end this?” These were questions asked by many of us – questions which had no clear answers; yet, we managed to brave our way through this most trying time. How did we do it?
We see on the social media different survival stories of people from different walks of life-– drivers turned to food delivery agents, some became carpenters producing plant stands, repatriated OFWs who became food handlers, dismissed workers who became online sellers, bakers, cooks, and the like. Aside from these individual efforts of our fellowmen, news reports show philanthropists who surfaced amidst this pandemic – businessmen giving away their products for free; people doing outreach activities for the less fortunate members of the community, and of course, we must not forget the healthcare and other frontline workers who never ceased offering their services despite the perils of their work. Indeed, we are all in this together.
From all these stories of recovery, we see hope and optimism. In fact, these acts of love and care of people validate what I learned in my subject Philosophy of Man – that man by nature is good; that man is a social being, that man is a living organism who always finds his way out (to survive) even in the face of danger.
On a personal note, I say, this is the most beautiful realization that 2020 me, too. Amidst the challenges that this pandemic brought us, what surfaced is goodness which is man’s true nature. And so, when we look back to our seemingly apocalyptic situation several months ago and see where we are now, perhaps we can ask ourselves again, with tears of joy, how did we manage to survive? Maybe because of our will to survive; maybe because we have faith and hope; because there are good people out there who are willing to help, because there are more people who care about lives and our world. There could be more reasons, but I believe, these are all springing from love and care (for ourselves, for our family, and humanity).
The year 2020 is over, the battle continues, and so is GOODNESS and LOVE.