A-Z Dictionary for Corona Times

  •   Tue, May 19 2020
  •   By Fr George Olivera

May 19, 2020

A: Avoid crowd: Stand out from the crowd to be responsible, honest and authentic which adds meaning to life.

B: Beware of fake news: All news is not good news and not all news is true news. According to Socrates to safeguard from fake news, one has to scan through the triple filter test: 1. Is it true?; 2. Is it kind? 3. Is it useful?

C: Clean your hands: Corrupt hands sometimes need cleansing. Coronavirus season is sometimes a nice time to keep our hands clean.

D: Do not go out: Inner peace and outer wellness both begin with a deep breath inward and a deep breath outward. Stay home is the new mantra for inner calm and healing balm.

E. Empty the streets: Kabir the mystic reminds the global marketing lot: Oh Man finish your buying and selling on the other shore there is neither buying nor selling. The empty streets are the God-sent experience for busy fast track humanity.

F. Feed the Pets: Emile Zola says: Man’s highest duty is to protect animals from cruelty. Credo of A D Williams is as follows: When I look into the eyes of an animal I do not see an animal. I see a living being. I see a friend. I feel a soul. Feeding pets is a noble thing to do during these stress-times.

G: Gathering is bad: Normally gathering is good, but it is the rarest of rare occasions when gathering is bad. Physical distancing could save humanity for a better bright future.

H: Hand sanitizing: Hand sanitizer has started to become your best friend. Catchy slogans are meant to motivate for habitual hand sanitizing: Dirt does not belong on your hand. And spare your stomach from germs.

I: Inside the home: There is nothing more important than a good, safe, secure home. Home is where love resides, memories are created, friends and family belong and laughter never ends. J. Join the fight against corona: Corona is temporary but our lives are more durable. Corona has limited warrantee and time-bound guarantee but our family and social life are much more precious and are life-time durable.

K: Kind to the needy: Helping others is one of the simplest ways to fill our lives with joy and fulfillment. Compassion is the radicalism of our times says Dalai Lama and again he adds: My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.

L: Learn a new skill: Lockdown times are the best of times to learn a new skill. The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice says, Brian Herbert. Once you stop learning, you start dying warns Albert Einstein. Ancient Greeks were known for their erudition and it is Aristotle who differentiated the two Greek terms: tekne and arete – Tekne means skill and arete means virtue – So the Greeks advice for us: learn skills and practice virtues.

M: Meditate daily: Meditation is being in tune with our inner universe. The goal of meditation is not to control your thoughts, it is to stop letting them control you. Slow down; calm down; do not worry; do not hurry; trust the process; repeat it daily.

N: No handshakes: No handshakes but namaste is perfectly okay. Namaste is more hygienic and less harmful to wholesome health. By namaste I greet my neighbour with these sentiments: I honour the place in you that is the same in me. I honour in you where the whole universe resides. I honour the place in you of love, of light, of peace and truth. I honour the place in you that is the same in me. There is but one namaste.

O: Offer help to others: Ronald Reagan says: We cannot help everyone, but everyone can help someone. Tennis star Andre Agassi reminds us to make one another feel safe. He adds: This is the only perfection there is, the perfection of helping others. This is the only thing we can do that has any lasting meaning. Someone says: A helping hand does not need to be big. It is the helping attitude that matters the most during crisis times.

P: Passion for life and compassion for others: Passion for life even during crisis times adds a positive meaning for life. Compassion for others gives an impetus for altruistic orientation in life.

Q: Quarantine yourself: The quarantine period is the best time to showcase your creativity, not on the bed, but the home desk. Quarantine is when you cannot do what you want, but accept to do what you can, to protect others from what you have.

R: Regular exercise: Regular physical exercise can improve your general health of mind and body. Exercise not only changes your body, but it also changes your mind, your attitude and your mood. Wake up with determination, go to bed with satisfaction.

S: Social distancing: Staying connected while practicing social distancing is the new style of life. Namaste is the new craze of 2020. It is how we say ‘hi’ these days. Solitude matters, and for some people, it is the air they breathe.

T: Travelling is dangerous: Travelling was never dangerous from the beginning of times. But now it is dangerous. Coronavirus is an unwelcome visitor from overseas greeting people from city to city; from village to village. Fear is the fastest travelling agent from person to person, certainly faster than any virus spreads itself. Staying at home is the real best option during corona times.

U: Use masks: ‘Technology owes an apology to ecology’, is much true nowadays than in earlier times. Mask is necessary for stage-acting; Mask is a negative term in some schools of Psychology. But during the climate change era, the use of the mask is the saving grace of humanity.

V: Visit your doctor online: The ten best doctors and no one can deny: Sunshine, Water, Nature, Prayer, Well balanced diet, Sleep, Laughter, Healthy Relationship, Deep breathing. Plus, you need a family doctor for your health reference certainly online.

W: Weaponized Immune System: One minute of anger weakens the immune system for 4 to 5 hours. One minute of laughter boosts the immune system for 24 hours. According to expert opinion – The most powerful therapy in the world is our immune system. Bruce Beutler reminds us: If we think of the immune system as a machine, then we are far from even knowing all of its parts.

X: X-Tra precautious for elders: An old woman took her phone to a repair shop. Repairer:- Nothing is wrong with this phone ma’am; Old Woman:- Then why don’t my children ever call me?

Recognize and cherish the blessings of ageing and offer older people a message of encouragement. Beware of the needs of people with dementia and make their care a top priority. Tackle loneliness with ‘little places of belonging’ to help frail older people continue to have a sense of meaning in their lives.

Y: Your awareness is prevention: According to Ralph Fiennes: Education, awareness and prevention are the keys, but stigmatization and exclusion from family are what make people suffer most.

Z: Zero face touching: Gods’ must be Crazy because they do not have a face to touch because they are faceless spirits! And humans too are crazy because they must exercise zero face touching willingly, knowingly and deliberately. Thank heaven that too is a timebound warning for a certain duration till the eclipse coronavirus.

Lockdown is a time to: Listen to God’s voice and reflect. This is an acrostic on the term lockdown: L.O.C.K.D.O.W.N

Let go and let God. Obey His Word and His teachings. Call on Jesus’ name and be calm. Know that God has a purpose for all of this. Dwell in His presence. Do not panic. Offer a prayer for everyone’s safety. Wait on the Lord and be patient. This too shall pass. Nurture our relationship with God.

 

 
By Fr George Olivera
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Comment on this article

  • John B. Monteiro, Bondel Mangalore

    Wed, May 20 2020

    This is a well-presented, worth absorbing and acting on proposition.


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Title: A-Z Dictionary for Corona Times



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