We shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival.
-Winston Churchill
This is a horrible and scary time. The majority of our society has never dealt with something like this before. Some lived through the Great Depression, where they saw more than toilet paper depleted from store shelves. Others lived through the turmoil of WWII, when homes were destroyed and food and goods were rationed. A few may have lived through the Spanish Flu of 1918. Through pandemics, wars, and the depletion of goods, somehow society and culture managed to survive.
In our worst times of suffering we can still find ways to survive and ultimately thrive. If we listen to the suffering at its very depths, listen to its message, and seek to understand how we can work with it, we may learn a great lesson. The inspiration we take from our most dire circumstances can and will improve our society in the future.
We can set aside our individual egos and work for the survival of people we have never met. We can alter our desire to accumulate personal wealth and use our funds to help communities in need. We can think of new ways to interact with our loved ones that keep us all protected and strengthen our bonds at the same time.
We can transform our greatest vulnerability into the source our greatest inspiration.
A.N.Carroll 