The silver lining of coronavirus
Every cloud has a silver lining, and the silver lining of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) is slowly being revealed.
There’s no denying that this pandemic is continuing to have catastrophic impacts on mankind and people’s livelihood. But – it’s about time we draw on the good and reflect on the positives of Coronavirus. While isolation can be difficult and sometimes dreary, it can also be an opportunity for self-reflection and renewal.
You may be familiar with the name Sir Isaac Newton; he is the historical founder of the the principles of modern physics we now use, and played a key role in the science revolution.
Newton, just like the rest of us, self-isolated in somewhat similar circumstances during The Great Plague from 1665 to 1666.
Newton was just twenty-three and a student at Cambridge University. When the plague spread from London, he retreated to his birthplace – Woolsthorpe Manor and did three marvellous things:
-
- He invented the mathematical system called calculus.
-
- He drilled a hole in the shutter of his bedroom window and held a prism up to the beam of sunlight that came through it, discovering that white light is made up of every colour (and giving Pink Floyd an iconic album cover).
-
- He watched apples falling from the trees in his garden and theorised about a force called gravity, which keeps the moon revolving around planet Earth.
We’re certainly not suggesting that you should follow in the footsteps of Newton – however, it certainly does put things in perspective as we tackle these unique times.
So, let us be inspired by Newton and take a moment to reflect on the silver lining of Coronavirus:
Our climate is thanking us
Across the globe positive environmental changes are occurring. The sky is clearing up again. Emissions that normally occur will automatically reduce. Traffic has slowed down, and industrial production has decreased.
The New Daily Australia reports that Climate Scientists now say the world has a chance to effectively kill two birds with one stone and tackle climate policies as part of the global reconstruction of the Australian economy.
Outside of Australia, research shows that endangered sea turtles are on course to lay 60 million eggs this year. Canals in Venice are running clear and dolphins are spotted in its famous waterways. Los Angeles is experiencing its longest stretch of good air quality since 1996, and for the first time in three decades, you are able to see the peaks of the Himalayas mountains.
There’s a lot to smile about across the globe.
Greater self-awareness and more conscious choices
Our auto pilot is switched off. We are slowing down. We are taking time to process decisions. We are forced to adjust our living patterns and make more conscious choices, especially in regard to nutrition, exercise and spending.
Relationships are also often the strongest when each person takes time to look after themselves.
Fortunately, many of us are not literally ‘alone’ during isolation, as we are surrounded by our immediate family and household. For some though, this isn’t the case. Being alone doesn’t come naturally to everyone – we are social creatures.
But, being alone actually has some amazing benefits.
Working on things alone can improve concentration and memory and can boost your retention and recall. Alone time promotes more creativity, more productivity, and more empathy. There are science-backed theories that suggest why alone-time is nourishing for the soul.
A reminder that money isn’t needed to have fun
It’s hard not to fall into the deception that you need to spend money to have fun – such as, going out for dinner to celebrate a birthday, buying tickets to an event or spending the day at an adventure park for a significant sum.
Of course, these things are great to do, and they are part of living and enjoying life. But these isolating times reminds us that the simple things such as a walk in nature can bring just as much joy, or a home cooked meal can be as equally special.
Parks and open spaces are being appreciated more than ever right now. Local neighbourhoods are starting to connect by getting to know familiar faces.
Material consumption has prevailed more than ever in recent times, and maybe Coronavirus had brought us back down to earth a little?
You can stay up to date with Living Waters Lutheran College’s COVID-19 announcements here.
——-
If you are interested in finding out more about how our College builds bright futures, please download our Prospectus.
