In the dawn of time, when the Bing Bang led to the expansion of the universe, there proved to be a constant theme in which matter perpetually coalesced to form something larger than itself. The hot, dense material contained in the iota of the former universe escaped and cooled to form what we know as atoms. From there, atoms composed molecules, and then molecules came together to form even more massive objects. Eventually, gas formed stars, and dust collectivized to planets. Nonetheless, the most striking phenomenon was the force of gravity binding everything together to create those very same stars and planets, making even larger solar systems and galaxies, and shaping more complex creations such as life itself. In the same way, it has always been the pellicular power of humans to gravitate towards one another to assemble communities, greater than each of us individually, and to somehow find a way to remain united in our modern era, whether in times of peace or crisis.
The fundamental aspect of a virus, and what makes it so lethal, is its ability to thrive off of parasitism and claim to what humans claim to most: life. In many ways, a virus is not a living entity, but nevertheless, survives as a collection of nucleic acids, which hijack our own cells in order to ensure its own continuity. Yet, nothing can truly live louder, wider, wilder, and more free-willing than humans themselves; only now we have shown that we possess the determination, motivation, and tenacity to fight and evade the threats foreign to us. In the face of a pandemic, we are the species willing to disentangle and separate ourselves to protect our numbers; because of the CoronaVirus, we have shown we are the species that can and will adapt and conquer. It closed schools, yet we still learn. It brought the streets of Italy to shut down, and residents still sang and danced to music together through the darkness of night. It forced us to stay in isolation and to keep at least six feet away from each other, and we remain together apart. When our elders faced grim realities, we sacrificed our time with them to keep their health and well-being. When the economy ran to trouble, we put our politics aside to pass the largest stimulus bill in the history of our United States. When the pandemic inevitably came, “we listened more deeply..., [and] we began to think differently.”
Even so, the arrival of disease and the onset of pandemics have changed humanity since its very inception as, throughout history, diseases and illnesses have come and gone. The 1720s saw the Bubonic Plague; the 1820s saw the Cholera outbreak; the 1920s saw the Spanish flu; and in the 2020s, we now see the novel CoronaVirus. Nevertheless, this time proves to be quite different in our highly technical and modernized world. Many questioned how we would slow down or how we would overcome and some still do. But the answer is found in something we have always known: the community. In such desperate times, many have taken to social media to laugh, smile, and cry together. Some have leaned towards the humor or the irony of the situation, making the best out of what we have; some have taken to their respective platforms to say goodbye to their loved ones that died alone. Though no matter what the occasion, the circumstances, or the message, through social media we have supported each other unlike any other way in our polarized world of today. We continue to optimize the constant connection and communication that defines our humanity and makes our kind incredibly special. Many have taken to the platform “Zoom” to see each other face to face, and others have taken to the ancient text message to speak our emotions, tell our daily activities, and detail our frustrations. Many have tuned in to watch their leaders deliver bleak happenings intertwined with hope, and within this simple action exemplifies that we desperately beg to hear from each other when we need each other the most. And those same leaders remind us that we may be nestled in our corners reading books, listening to music, resting, studying, exercising, painting, playing games, but, in living, we are never truly alone-- in spite of any malady that will ever plague us.
And sometime, we will heal, and in some instances, we have already started to. Through this virus, we have faced many challenges such as overcrowded hospitals, dwindling amounts of medical supplies, and overwhelmed medical workers-- not to mention the substantial economic loss. Our next challenge and first attempt at collective healing will be recovering these challenges and the impact of the virus. How will we ensure hospitals do not encounter a lack of hospital beds and ventilators again? How will we justly compensate our incredible medical field for the work it has done to ensure our collective survival? How will our economy bounce back given the pending recession we now encounter? As many come down with the illness, we have prayed for the sick, celebrated for the recovered, and grieved for our lost family members and friends. Through having experienced the effects of the virus first-hand, many questions will have to be answered on a personal level. How do we mourn someone without a proper funeral? How do we persist in a world post-Corona? Despite this tremendous loss, our environment has blossomed. Pollution levels have hit record-lows as more people stay indoors and refrain from once-required daily transportation. In Venice, the canals have become clear, and dolphins have made their way close to the outskirts of the city. In Wuhan, the air has become cleaner, and people have been able to breathe easier. Possibly, the way the environment has thrived may possess some answers to these questions we may ask ourselves. Maybe we begin to address our pressing societal problems as nature shows all we need is stark action to fix our most dire and complex issues. For the medical field, this may mean an immediate investment in a greater amount of medical supplies, increased support for those pursuing work in medical-related professions, and an acknowledgment that we need quicker access to doctors for those rushed into emergency rooms and intensive care units. On the economic side, maybe we begin investing in the long-term instead of continually seeking out short-term gains. On a personal level, perhaps we find new ways to think about loss and how to honor our lost loved ones in more petrified circumstances.
And so, we are called to remember the simple message humanity and the universe have always told: we are never alone. We must always remember this not as an obligation to our own selves but to each other, and that the second we feel alone is when the optimism diminishes and the progress vanquishes. We must know that in the presence of black holes ripping away at what consumes existence, galaxies form and solar systems flourish. In many ways, we revolve around each other in the same vein the planets revolve around our star. And in all symbolism absoluteness, we ought to remain as close as gravity pushes us together.