Author : Parwana  Amiri

What is Corona Virus is teaching ?

Corona is teaching spiritual and moral lessons that have long been forgotten. It is teaching equality, that all humans are equal regardless of their life style, culture, religion, wealth, skin color, and geographical location.

Corona is teaching …

• • … that … a border can simply be the door of your room, when you are not allowed to go out, even if you need to. Crossing that door frontier is banned.
  • … that … borders can now be crossed without passports. Those documents, which, for years, separated us, excluded us, have little value now. A virus can cross the borders without any identification papers.
  • … how … foolish humans have been taking for granted the most important necessities of life:  food, water, medicine, while millions around them were deprived of them, living in fear of deprivation, every day of their lives. Today – everyone faces those threats!
  • … that … no matter how hard humans are working, the important thing is what one does and how one does something can benefit others.
  • … shame to those full of greed, selfishness and arrogance. It is teaching that the only way to survive is to help, to share, to give and look after others and protect them from the virus.
  • … how … the meaning of life changes when you do not have any solution for your problems and you are just waiting to see what others are deciding for your life.
  • … that … all humans are vulnerable.
  • … patience instead of panic. Many lived in this panic for years and had to chose patience instead – knowing that panic would cause more harm than good.
  • … that … everyone might become like all those who – for years – had their lives at the mercy of others – without knowing what their fate would be.
  • … that … life can lose its meaning when you are forced to live without any purpose or expectation. Or in a prison – just staying alive – the prison becoming your home.

• … to the world that, without the freedom of communication, humans become prisoners.
• … how … painful it is  to wait for the fate that others decided for you.
• … nothing can be the exclusive property of any one. It has to be communicated, shared with others, even if it is your physical body.
• … my disease is also your disease as it may affect you tomorrow. That’s why we have to be responsible for ourselves and for each other.
• … the world the life of refugees – what it means to be vulnerable, ignored, alive but hidden, free but in prison, with thousands of words, with thousands of thoughts but forced to  silence.

Corona is giving the same lesson for all.

Yes , Corona is teaching what it means to be a refugee – condemned to just stay alive – without a promise of a real life across borders. Today, every one learns the meaning of life-killing borders, since one’s body, one’s room, one’s house become (im)penetrable borders
Corona is a specific form of understanding – it puts you in the shoes of refugees.
If you lost your usual life, know that we have been living in  unusual conditions for a very long time.

If the schools of your children are closed now, know that our children had no schools, nor expectations for the future. Their schools were closed and destroyed for decades.

Today you think you are far from the world of refugees. Know that you too are now similarly forced to be simply alive, ignored, in need of an asylum.

So far we – refugees – fought spiritually with the unusual conditions of our life. But this illness asks more from us.
How can we  fight this new enemy physically?
How can we lock ourselves at home while we do not have any home?
The order we hear is: “observe hygiene!” These words are meaningless in the conditions that we live.
We do not have water to drink. How can we then wash our hands often?
The first victims of the disease will be our children – not “refugee” children, not “immigrant children” – simply “children”.
Our children pass their lives in the midst of garbage, sewage water and polluted surroundings. We could never observe the recommended distance among ourselves, as our numbers are getting higher and higher. We are like locked chains for each other. Finally, Corona is teaching that, in spite of everything, one room is enough to feel safety. Give a shelter to another and let one more person feel the meaning of life!
Whereas many see the Corona virus (Covid 19) as a great disease,  if we think deeply, we will recognize it as a great experience lesson.
>