SERENITY

At the moment I have achieved some sort of peace and balance in the middle of storm with this corona virus situation. In the beginning I might have felt slight hysteria, but I just needed to remind myself what I have learnt about life already.

As an introvert I must admit my life hasn't changed that much, and to be honest, it is a kind of relief to be without social pressure to "go there and meet them"... Also, I still go to work and make money, which I'm thankful for, as for so many other things, including my husband by my side. God forbid, I'm even thankful for this crisis, because it really puts things into perspective!

"God, grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference..."

You must do what you can, and accept whatever comes your way. That's all you can do. I cannot worry for myself alone, while humanity as a whole is suffering. I can't say I'm even worried at all anymore - I'm just cautious.  It's just reasonable to do what you are told, but no reason to feel fear.
Corona statistics in Finland are rather moderate; Our government has done a great job. Yet some experts say we have succeeded slowing down the epidemic even too much, and the worsed is yet to come.  I don't follow News as much as in the beginning, and I have completely stopped reading readers' comments for them on social media - I could have done that much before current situation; ignorance is so widely spread, worse than infection. Maybe it's just emphasized because smartest people simply don't comment - I know I never do. (And I only mean the News here, not my Blog posts, thanks!) 😊

Sure, this is new and extraordinary for us, but add a little historical perspective, and you realize that pandemics have raged among mankind through all its history, and we are still here. This is not the end of the world either. 

And even with all his scientific progress, man is nevertheless powerless before the Nature - be it an earthquake or virus. In a peculiar way I find that somehow comforting.
Besides, even though the climate change is hardly talked about in current crisis, and emissions have decreased since, for instance, planes stay grounded, can you say that we, as a human race, don't deserve this, for everything we have done for this planet, and for animal kingdom? I am equally guilty, just as much as you are, if not for what I have done directly, then for what I haven't done even if I could. I once attended Mass, where there was an ecological point in confession, and afterwards an absolution was declared... but this is one sin we can not be forgiven - the sin against the Holy Spirit of Life - because we constantly carry on; Governments and Corporations out of profit, individuals just for their own comfort and habits. Everything starts with individuals, so it's no excuse that I can do only a little, if I don't even bother to try. Far feched, perhaps, but I see a connection.
"Crisis" is a latinized form from Greek word, generally translated as "Judgement" in the Bible, meaning "turning point in a disease", a critical moment, when the patient could get better or worse. Very incisive for the state of mankind. I sincerely hope we will learn something, and don't let this opportunity be wasted, but I'm a little sceptical... 

The way this virus affects is very unpredictable. Teenagers have died, elderly people cured. You can be symptomless and infect others. You may think you are getting better, when there's a sudden deterioration. And symptoms are so complex and extensive. You can not fool yourself to think it's not a threat to you. Everything is uncertain. Life is uncertain! It's beyond our control. 

As Siddhartha Gautama had to learn before his enlightenment, sickness and death are inevitable in human life. Death is part of life, not apart from it. Personally, I have experienced both, loss of a loved one, and acute fear for my live before a heart surgery. They were much more personal and touching experiences than this pandemic, and it's precisely a time to break out of your selfish bubble, and develop compassion; One way is Tibetan tonglen-meditation. We don't need fear, but Love. 

Pema Chödrön: Tonglen Meditation