Do not miss the positive lessons of COVID-19

By Gen Elly Tumwine

Peace be with you. Peace with your God, peace with yourself, and peace with the rest of nature

1. UNIQUE MOMENT:

 
Every single moment in one's life is a unique moment, just like every living thing is a unique thing with a unique DNA.

There are three words that encourage me to analyse every moment in life; and these are THINGS, VALUES and SHARING.

Everything is a thing, dead or alive is a thing; with a unique value depending on its design to serve a specific purpose.  That value or purpose is worthless or useless unless it is shared.

This is the reason why I would like to share with all who will read this article about COVID-19 or Corona Virus, a small thing in design and size, a small microbe that has challenged a lot of our world values and how we share those values.  It has challenged humanity as a whole on what we know and what we do not know.

I always say, "NOBODY KNOWS EVERYTHING AND NOBODY KNOWS NOTHING".  Clearly, on COVID-19 humanity is trying to rediscover how much we know about nature and how even the smallest natural thing can affect or challenge our level of understanding.

In my yet to be published book about NATURE'S DESIGN, I observe that "THE FURTHER AWAY WE MOVE FROM NATURE, THE FASTER WE MOVE TOWARDS SELF-DESTRUCTION".

Why? It is because the greatest human suffering which has been increasing over time has mostly come from the effort of humankind working hard to dominate and tame nature to his convenience.  Just to resist going into the detailed argument of that statement, let me confine my points on COVID-19 as one of the best demonstrations that has proven a great point that I would not want us all to miss.

I am calling upon everyone to quickly observe and analyse the lessons that this small microbe has brought to our knowledge at this point in history.
 

2. A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY:

 
It is a unique opportunity for each one of us to discover the issues in question at this point in the history of mankind when the whole world is able to share information easier than ever before.

I always say, "WE ARE WHAT WE KNOW, WE BECOME WHAT WE SEE, HEAR, EXPERIENCE, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY WHAT WE DO ABOUT IT".  So the purpose of my provocation is for everyone to analyse and find the unique opportunities out of this one unique moment in human life, when more than half of the world population are locked up at home out of fear of a very small microbe. It is such a wonderful and necessary question that will determine each one's choice and vision for his or her future.
 

3. MAKING THE BEST OF A BAD SITUATION:

 
Some musicians sang about MAKING THE BEST OF A BAD SITUATION.

 
Tom Rush, Ray Steven, and others (you can get them on YouTube), each of them is telling their story of the different situations in which they were trying to make the best of those situations.

This COVID-19 situation of deaths, sickness, lockdowns, tears, anger, anxiety, and stress by different people in different countries, is not the end of the world.  It is actually a beginning of A NEW WORLD ORDER that has come from a small microbe, to create a new world situation.

The purpose of this article is to awaken all who care, to make or find the best of this bad situation, by understanding THE POSITIVE LESSONS out of this unique situation.

Life is about making choices.  You can decide to look at the negative side of COVID-19 and it will make you a terrible pessimist or choose to look at the positive side of it and it will strengthen your optimism.  Your choice will determine your attitude, and your attitude will determine your aptitude and your latitude.

I always tell young people, "THE FUTURE BELONGS TO THE ORGANISED AND DISCIPLINED".  It, however, depends on which side you are organising for.  Is it for the common good or against the common good?

In this particular case, I am pointing out the positive lessons that I think are serving the common good.
 

While we are in whatever situation, we should analyse that situation in relation to the future.
 

We live for the future

We eat for the future

We sleep for the future

We work for the future

We learn for the future

We teach for the future

We write for the future

We struggle for the future

We build for the future

We reproduce for the future

And we even die for the future to fertilise the soil.
 

As I said earlier, things have value depending on their design.

 
We are designed to move forward,

We are designed to see far ahead

We are designed to think far ahead

We are designed to walk or run, ahead

We are designed to face ahead

We are designed to visualise forward.
 

We should, however, know and understand how we move forward.

 

We should move forward with caution.

We should move forward with care

We should move forward with self-control

We should move forward with consciousness

We should move forward with courage.

 
Humans as Victims and Victors:

 
Out of COVID-19, the most important THING is HUMAN BEINGS.  They are the victims and will be the victors when they defeat COVID-19.
 

The best way to defeat COVID-19 is by right away quickly looking at the positive lessons it has brought to us.  The list is endless depending on which angle you look at it.  To be a victor straight away, test yourself on these lessons.  I have observed,  Necessity is the mother of invention.  It all starts with thinking.
 

4. THINKING:

 

"The world as we have created it, is a process of our thinking.  It cannot be changed without changing our thinking". Albert Einstern.

 
In the history of mankind, at an individual level, at a family level, at a national level, and at a global level - there has never been a moment when we are all challenged to think more seriously than now.

At an individual level, it is an opportunity for each of us to re-evaluate our lives and prepare our minds, body, and spirit to face come-what-may.  Why? Because COVID-19 can get any of us regardless of what position you hold in society. 

Are you ready to face it squarely, discipline yourself, and control yourself in accordance with this unprecedented situation in our life-time. Have you seriously given time to think deeply about it? Other pandemics in the past had their uniqueness and those who went through them have their stories to tell.

We need to think through what COVID-19 means to us now, and what we want to see or to be after COVID-19.  THINK, THINK, THINK.

The Thinking Process:

The challenge here is what are you thinking about now? Why are you doing what you are doing?  Think of each thing you are doing; Why? Where have you come from? What is your experience of life? Where are you now? Where do you want to go? And lastly, how will you go there?

Wherever this virus has caught you or is holding you, how can you make the best of the situation you are in?  This should lead you to the important question of what next? Where do you want to go or do next? Do not just be blown here or there by the wind.  It is time to think on how you should face the future in the circumstances and whatever the circumstances. 

This includes the thought about, suppose you get infected and you are positive?  This will determine how serious you will become vigilant to prevent it.  Some people are just wishing that they will not get infected.  That is a wish. Some countries and even some leaders have never been challenged to think about their responsibilities like this virus has challenged them.  No country has proven that it had properly or adequately been prepared for it.  All were caught unprepared and by surprise.

At the family level, let each family sit together and think seriously about how to survive and develop.  The family unit had become individualised with members working in isolation and not finding quality time to think, discuss, and plan as a family. This is the best time. Many people spend more time with people far away from their family or understand other people than their own family members. In a home, you can easily find each member in the house on their phones each sharing with people far away and have more time with other people that their family members.

At the National level, each nation must first and foremost think through all the aspects of how to prevent, detect, and control infection as well as how to contain this virus.  It has brought in all the aspects of survival as a nation, of basic essentials production, for sustainability and long-term preparedness in case another crisis like this takes place.  There has never been a better time for the nation to think more seriously and plan and act more seriously than now. The issue of self-reliance and import substitution is a serious issue to think about.  Nations are thinking more deeply on how to handle their economies than ever before.

At the global level, this is the first time, the world is coronalised, not colonised, by the talk of every citizen around the Coronavirus.  This minute microbe has made the whole world to THINK.

You better think more about the new world order starting from new personal order, new family order, new National order, and new global order. The new world order starts with the improved hygiene cultural change of social interaction, greetings to the world trade.  Thanks to COVID-19, hand washing will become common practice world over.

It is time to brainstorm, to be imaginative to have bigger visions, to be more creative and think outside the box.

To think, together and be better together.  Invest in thinking and thinking will boost your investment.

5. THE ENVIRONMENT:

Before the Coronavirus pandemic, the common global concern was the degradation of the environment.  There is a saying that if you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem.  "Be part of the solution, not part of the Pollution".

While the world was struggling hard to reduce carbon emissions, COVID-19 has grounded most aircraft and vehicles in the shortest time ever recorded in history.  Pollution has reduced with lockdown across the world.  Which leader in the world had such power? It is COVID-19 a small virus.  Whichever way you look at it.  The world environment has benefited.  COVID-19 has not only helped humans to breathe better air but has helped the trees and the rest of nature that share the air.

While the carbon emissions have been estimated to reduce by 6% this year, with COVID-19 for another one month could raise it to a higher percentage for all nature to enjoy.  An unknown author said, "If you really think the environment is less important than the economy, try holding your breath while you count your money".

All world leaders have been stuck on how quickly they could save the environment and as Robert Swan said, "The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it" COVID-19 has done its part, let us see what the big humans can do.  Under lockdown, there is calm and quiet with less chaos.  The streets are cleaner and healthier.
 

6. HEALTH:

 
Mahatma Ghandhi said, "It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold or silver".  COVID-19 has made a landmark challenge to the world's health standards and exposed how the countries' health services are inadequate.  Nothing has ever challenged humanity on the health standards than this virus.

The world will never be the same again in regard to health measures.  The health budgets, the health behavioural changes like washing hands and social distancing or physical distancing.  It is more of a physical distancing because socialising is still going on at whatever distance.

It has quickly forced individuals to take precautions, the families and workplaces have changed immediately on hygiene and cleanliness. A new health culture has quickly been established.

People are now deeply working on their physical fitness by exercising.  There is a serious discussion on nutrition and eating the right foods.

In Uganda, the major causes of death have been reducing and the life expectancy going up, over the years, but if we maintained the COVID-19 precautions, we will do much better.

Health services are being improved and the health industries are in dynamic and innovative drive.  There is a common exchange of information and universal efforts on research for a cure and vaccines than ever before.

COVID-19 has provoked all countries to evoke all their available experts to find solutions.

The health personnel has been challenged than ever before to sacrifice and save lives.  We thank them and give them encouragement to continue doing their best.

There is more sharing of health information than ever before.  The infectious diseases will definitely be reduced due to the current COVID-19 measures world over.

James .H. West said "Health is a large word.  It embraces not the body only, but the mind and the spirit as well;….and not today's pain or pleasure alone, but the whole being and outlook of a man".

COVID-19 has also exposed quite a number of conspiracy theories of the world.
 

7. TIME:

 
The greatest friend of life is time. Time is the scarcest resource.

There is a time for everything.  This time world over is for COVID-19. Nothing has ever dominated the whole world as COVID-19 has done.

By God's design or nature's design, we all have the same time world over, at 24 hours a day.  One Jonathan Estrim said, "The way we spend our time defines who we are".  COVID-19 has created a great opportunity for many people to gain more time for themselves as individuals, as families and organisations than ever before. It has reduced the hectic lifestyles and over travel and movement which has caused the world a lot of trouble. 

People have had more time to think, to share as families than before. Above all, time to think about our common destiny as nations and the world at large.

The opportunity is to make the best of this time, to do something special.  Charles Caleb Colton said "The present time has one advantage, over every other - it is our time".

There is something about TIMING, which is knowing the right or opportune moment.  Do not miss the moment and this opportunity to capture what useful relations you can make this time in whatever space or event. 

Please make this your time and think of the greatest way to use it.  Have quality time with your family.  Have quality time with your team, have quality time with your colleagues, have quality time with your patients, have quality time with the people under your charge, have quality time with your partners, and even quality time with nature.

8.  INNOVATION:

"Nobody knows everything, nobody knows nothing".  One thing COVID-19 has done for all humanity, is to expose the limitation of human understanding.  From those who have never gone to school to the most highly schooled, this tiny microbe has exposed that there is a lot we do not know about nature.  It is clear than ever before that human knowledge is very limited as admitted by all the world scientists who have admitted that this virus is a new area of study.

Both those who believe in the ancestral plant medicine and the highly researched pharmaceutical ones have all agreed that there is a new opportunity for research and innovation.

There are new words that are providing good opportunities for innovations like essential services, protective equipment (PPE), and all the necessary areas that are calling for creativity.

Let all of us look for new innovations from masks to all the necessary equipment and treatments.

Many countries have been found without the necessary industrial capabilities and are calling upon all those with the capability to innovate solutions.

At the individual level and at the family level, many people are innovating new ways of surviving the lockdowns and even how to turn their homes into all sorts of solutions as cottage industries, learning centres for homeschooling, as gyms with innovative exercises to be done in limited space.

Others are innovating how to prepare, store, and deliver food and other necessities within the lockdown measures.

New businesses are emerging and Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) gurus are coming up with new solutions.  Even the musicians have composed new songs and artistic creations.  It is time to innovate do not miss out.  Thomas A. Edison said "There is a way to do it better - Find it". And save jobs said, that "Innovation is the ability to see change as an opportunity - not a threat".  While Thomas Smith said, Innovation is any change big or small that makes a difference".  You can make a difference in small or big ways.  Even innovating how to mobilise others to do better or a more useful act is a necessary contribution headed under COVID-19.
 

9. STAY HOME, STAY SAFE:

 
The Common slogan now is "stay home, stay safe".  It is not new that the safest place of any living thing is in its home.  Nature's design or God's design has it that all living things are designed to start their life in a family setting. Insects, birds, small and big animals, start in a family.  It is the basic organisational level and the safest place where each person or member has a natural right of belonging.

As we now enjoy the forced homestay, it has come at a time in history when the family setting was under the greatest threat in history. The modern life of hectic lifestyle that is not only mobile but impersonal.  It is not difficult to find people in the same home, each one on his her phone and engaged with people away from home, but with little contact with those in the same home.

Work, chasing money, and pleasure away from home has already created a big challenge to human relations.

COVID-19 has forced people to stay home, therefore, not miss this wonderful opportunity to BOND with your family.  To use this wonderful time to share quality time with your family members.  To plan, pray, eat, exercise, read, and share together.

There used to be Christian mottos in homes that said: "A family that eats and prays together stays together".  It is a wonderful practice to have family altars or time to pray together and a practice of sharing a meal together.  Many members of the modern families are even forgetting basics like cooking food and even cleaning up a home because they are now depending on fast foods from restaurants, in throwaway packaging.  Prepare your family to learn all the necessary work in a home to improve on living together.  Do not miss this opportunity.  Stay home, stay safe, stay happy, and healthy.  Enjoy this time or you will miss it.  Catherine Pulsifer said, "Home is where we should feel secure and comfortable".

10. SAVING AND SIMPLE LIVING:

COVID-19 has brought about a number of questions including why people were doing what they were doing before the pandemic.  I saw the Katwe Lady who was giving a testimony on how she has learnt how to save by only buying the most important needs was surprised at her own ability to save which she did not care about before. What a great opportunity, when life is no longer business as usual.

This time has raised the question of what is really basic and absolutely necessary or what is most essential?

The change of the lifestyle of the consumer society that tempts one to buy anything that pleases the eye or eat anything that is sweet unlimited is a wonderful subject to discuss.

People now have the best opportunity to save than before out of necessity caused by COVD-19.  It is not only at the individual, family, community, national levels but up to the international level.  Many individuals and many families have found out that they had not saved for any emergency or the unexpected because they are used today to day survival.  Quite a number of people spend all they make each day knowing that they will earn more the next day.  It is also clear that even nations did not have adequate disaster preparedness enough to sustain their nation even for one month.  So COVID-19 has raised the importance to all of us to save, and plan for a rainy day.

It has raised the issue of what is, really basic.  What is coming our clearly is that food is the most important for life in all situations and other basics like shelter, clothing, medicine and above all safety.

Let us discuss it, at the individual level, family level, organisational level, national level, and international level.

What is even more crucial during this period is simple living, especially living within your means.

It is not as easy as it sounds. It takes a deliberate decision and level of commitment, to know what you earn and how much you spend on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.  Tsh Oxenreider said, "Simplicity is never a matter of circumstances, simplicity is always a matter of focus". 

Then Confecious said, "Life is really simple but we insist on making it complicated". For Mehmet Murat IIdan said, "Live a simple life; you will own the most beautiful treasures of the world".  In my own experience, Wealth is not how much you have, but how you enjoy what you have.

11. PARENTING:

There is a saying, "It is not what material things you leave behind for your children, that is most important, but what you live in your children".

The world was performing badly on parenthood because of parents not having enough time for their children to provide them with quality parental attention.

Again by God's grace or nature's design, the most important responsibility any parent has is to play the parental role and responsibility or duty to raise up good children put under his or her care.

With the COVID-19 lockdown and staying home, do not lose this opportunity to give the best you can to your children.

And to all children, this is the best time for you to ask your parents all the questions you have never got answers to.  Do not be on your WhatsApp but ask your parents or discuss with them whatsdown.

What a wonderful opportunity! To create a new COVID-19 generation that has had an opportunity to stay with their parents more than before.  We expect great outcomes on the moral value scale.

12.RE-VALUATION OF VALUES:

All things have their unique value depending on their design.

Look at everything at every moment in life with the constant question of "What is the value in all this".  What is the best I can get out of this situation?  If you cannot re-evaluate your values in life at this time, then you will have missed a great opportunity because it is such a unique moment to review, re-evaluate, re-analyse, rewind, re-examine your life. It is a chance for self-awareness, self-examination, and self-determination.

Most Aircrafts are grounded, most bars, night clubs, hotels, and Casinos are closed and people are locked-down in homes, families together, churches and mosques or public worship places are closed, more people are praying to God. What value can all of us get out of it?

What are the most valuable essentials of life that have been made known more to the world than before?  What new cultural or behavioural values have come out of washing hands and physical distancing?

What are the most valuable qualities of leaders in dealing with this universal pandemic?  Who is telling the truth or who is genuine or not?

Do not miss the value of the equalizing factor of COVID-19 when all of us are forced into a family of togetherness that requires everyone's cooperation and participation regardless of any otherwise advantage over this.  Everyone is equally threatened and this is equality.

It has exposed the value of preparation and the value of planning for the worst while you hope for the best.

Do not miss the value of listening to God and great advice coming from those who know more than us.

Carefully, look for the value in the silver lining of what looks like a terrible crisis.

It calls for the value of patience and resilience.

It calls for the value of human relationships and togetherness in tough and good times.  Be part of the solution or otherwise, you become part of the problem.

Check out the value of small things that we sometimes take for granted.  Do not despise small things or small and humble beginnings.  It is that small thing you may despise that can coronalise you.

Find out the value in analysing the human vulnerability to reduce on our ego in order to understand and practice being more humane.

See the value of the free air that is less polluted than before. Enjoy the shinning sun's value, enjoy the rains, and the constant unchanging value of day and night patterns.

The value of family time, the value of prayer, the value of kindness, the value of creativity, the value of imagination, the value of discussion, the value of more time to sleep.

13.MANY OTHERS:

There are many positive lessons and opportunities than I can put here.  People have found an opportunity to focus and prioritise whatever they have always taken for granted.  People have now found new ways of socialising and sharing than before.

It is amazing the way people are exercising in unique ways.

This Corona Virus Pandemic has challenged everyone about preparedness.  The importance of being prepared for any eventuality.  People are used to living in a mind-set of business as usual.  There is more thinking and doing things out of the box.

One of the greatest benefits of COVID-19 is the important realisation of self-reliance.

All Nations are focusing on how much they can depend on themselves.

There are more common focus and common talk about the same important subjects of health and economy. 

The importance of the basics as opposed to the luxuries.

COVID-19 has tested each country on the level of organisation and capacity levels in the most essential or priority areas.

COVID-19 has reduced the number of deaths in other areas which might be less than that of COVID-19 in some countries.

There is less crime, in general, because the curfews at night and each family being at home have made it difficult to commit crimes without being seen.

There seems to be a reduction in the wars because of less mobility.

The greatest of the opportunities and benefits of COVID-19 is spiritual realisation and devotion than before.

Many people are praying more than playing.  While the prayer Halls and worship venues are empty, people are on their knees,  TVs, Radio Preachers and Worshipping than ever before.  All believers are calling upon their God for a solution but more so for their salvation.  People are repenting and more spiritual than before.

This means that COVID-19 has increased the moral values of our society, in a way no single preacher would do it in such a short time.

Depending on what you choose, this is the right time to enjoy the best opportunity of a unique situation in the history of your life.

Thank you, save the environment, save yourself, stay safe, stay healthy, stay alive, it is the best time to enjoy the company of your family, the opportunity to be creative, the opportunity to save and plan better, and to focus. It is time to prioritise the most important aspects of your life.  Then do great parenthood.  To reduce the emissions of carbon, to reduce crime, to reduce the accidents on the road and to travel less.

Be part of the New World Order, a healthier World to live in.

Think well, eat well, sleep well, exercise well, plan well and enjoy your life.

One of my songs is "Live your dream and enjoy your life".  The other one, is "Do you thank God, for who you are, what you are, what you have, for everything?"

For the Christians, you read 1Corinthians 1:27-29.

For the Moslems you read Lessons 12 about THE INFINITE POWER OF GOD.


DO NOT BE CORONALISED, YOU COLONISE IT.

HON. GEN ELLY TUMWINE

MINISTER OF SECURITY