Despite following all health and safety guidelines, I tested positive for COVID-19 a few months ago. My family also lost a loved one to the virus as it made its way through Canada. I decided to share that information before getting into this topic, so that people know I am speaking from experience.
Every time I see the news or scroll through social media, I am constantly reminded of the terrifying state of our lives: COVID-19 is spreading, new variants have emerged, death tolls continue to climb, debt is beyond record levels, businesses are closing, our climate is failing, lockdowns are tightening … Be afraid ... be very afraid, or so the story goes.
Having dealt with COVID-19 first hand, I wanted to offer an alternative, positive word of encouragement. While I will not go so far as to say that there are not serious issues to deal with today, I will push back and say that I believe the future is better than it may currently seem.
History shows us that problems come and problems go. Whether it has been wars, nuclear threats, drugs, Y2K, gun crime, terrorism, financial crises or climate change, fear has always consumed our airwaves.
Each time, humanity has managed to pull through and the world has kept on turning. One of the unique features of today’s health pandemic is that the fear of it is being culturally magnified with greater intensity than ever before.
While we face the physical health threats of COVID, our mental health is under daily, if not hourly, assault as we are spending an unprecedented amount of time in front of our fear-filled screens. We cannot let this fear rule our lives.
Contrary to the ongoing narrative, evidence is stacking up around us that the light at the end of the tunnel is closer than we think. COVID-19 numbers on the decline. Vaccines are being distributed. The economy is recovering. Oil is rebounding, and houses are selling.
As we head into the spring, I believe we can and will create a brighter tomorrow. I would like to encourage everyone to keep their chins up, because hope is on the horizon.
