In the worst of times, like right now, it feels impossible to stay positive. Each day the death toll rises and more people are infected with COVID-19. You know I look at live stats more than daily with the hope that Italy will get better, and that newly infected countries will slow the spread of disease. I approach looking at these stats with hope, even when the numbers jab at my heart.
Although born in the USA, my origins and roots have always been planted in Italian soil. The number of Italian infections is second highest behind China. For the first time, I feel relief that my Nonna Francesca died last August, since it kept her safe from a horrific death and the emotional turmoil now omnipresent in Italy. With that relief is also a lot of sadness for the country and the people within that I love so dearly. The best sleep I ever experienced was when I lived in Florence and even had the sweetest sleep on stones near the canal, outside of Venice’s train station. I have visited and left my thumb print in every region of Italy, but I haven’t even visited half of the 50 states. I feel emotional turmoil for Italy and the world. Like COVID-19, the emotional upheaval is spreading and some would argue its worse than the virus itself. It’s not the empty shelves at the grocery store, but rather those moments at home when finding hope becomes challenging. COVID-19 is devastating in and of itself, but what makes it even worse is a lack of hope that things will get better. Almost two decades ago, I was a history major and studied the worst times in history. Both World Wars, the Great Depression, the enslavement of people on American soil, and so on. The main takeaway I got as a history major was this- people are resilient and adaptable. We get through heart-wrenching times, and become better as a result of them. When issues become international, we learn from our mistakes and make efforts not to repeat them. We become better at being human and humane once the clouds of misfortune lift. Fox-Piven and Cloward (1972) in their book, Regulating the Poor, theorize that social change is always instigated by civil disorder. Throughout their book, they give examples of how social unrest forced governments to institute much-needed changes like the establishment of a federal welfare system in the United States. It’s not so much the government regulating those that live in poverty, but people working to regulate the institutions that govern them. Without a doubt, we are existing in a state of social unrest caused by a newly formed virus. However, I believe that WHO, CDC, doctors, specialists and scientists will cure us of this disease. I have hope that this too shall pass. When it does, we as people will rise and make a better world based on the disease that sickens and binds us simultaneously. My mind has been racing trying to find answers why our world has been inflicted with COVID-19. I have no answers, but I do know that people are resilient and we will get through this. People must suffer severely before governments will change. It is time for us, governments and people, to start changing how we engage with our world. People will pay hundreds of dollars or euros to watch a sporting match, but they enter Venice for free even though the weight of people are literally causing it to sink. With an entrance fee, Venice can stabilize its foundation. People, including myself, are left without a religion because Vatican City refuses to make changes that would save Catholicism. Why can’t priests get married? Why can’t nuns become priests? How about creating jobs in Southern Italy and Sicily? Everyone wants something from Italy. These are just a few ideas about how COVID-19 can instigate much-needed change at least in Italy. How can we take this social turmoil and transform it into a better international union? As a social scientist and a woman of faith, I must think of social solutions to feel better about the state of our lives. Although, I don’t know when we will overcome this disease…I do know that we will overcome this disease. In the meantime, our best defense is hope. Our best defense is identifying solutions to social problems that existed before and were exacerbated by COVID-19. Our best defense is to require governments to change how they operate. We are our best defense because people are resilient and pliable. Yesterday, the stats on Italy and the Coronavirus were not updated. For a morning, I saw Italy with no new cases or deaths, which made me feel like I was floating on hope. Even after the stats were updated, I was still left with unwavering hope. I know one day I will be able to look at those stats and see that every country is better, not just Italy. Hope is not a fleeting phenomenon. Hope is what gets us through the worst times in history. Hold hope, not just in your hearts, but especially in your thoughts. This too shall pass and we will all rise. Hold hope. Hug Hope. Hear Hope. Heal through Hope. Hope is our best defense. I hope all of you reading this blog are doing your best to stay safe. I also hope that you all will heed hope. This too shall pass and we will all rise.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Archives
January 2020
Categories |