You realize... 05-04-2020
By: César A. Fernández
And so, on any Sunday, of the countless days you've been confined in your home by the pandemic that hits us, you wake up and
You realize...
That nature continues to function perfectly without the presence of human beings; but human beings cannot function without nature.
That the fresh breeze and birdsong have always been there, but our cities have smothered them with their pollution and their bustle.
That we go very fast through life, even though no one is waiting for us.
You realize...
That your mother's kisses are healers; and your friends' hugs energy for the soul.
That it can be very sad to live alone; but also a nightmare to live badly accompanied.
That we have forgotten the importance of rest; and we have built a very unhealthy definition of leisure.
You realize...
That the contagion of diseases doesn't knows any social class or economic inequalities; but access to resources and treatment under adequate conditions does.
That the quarantine for those living in marginalized neighborhoods is not the same as for those living in privileged sectors.
That #stayinghome for some is a luxury, a hashtag and watching netflix; while for others it is a condemnation, starving and seeing their few savings slowly disappear.
You realize...
That housekeeping work is laborious and essential, but very little appreciated and very poorly paid.
That your children are sometimes the problem, and not the teachers you unfairly criticized.
Words are missing to describe the admirable and invaluable vocation of service of physicians, and yet our system does not reward them properly.
You realize...
That we could easily live with a few shirts, two pairs of pants and a pair of shoes. Everything else is vanity.
That we spend too much money a month on banal entertainments; but we don't tip the supermarket packer enough.
That lack of education and selfishness are the worst enemies of the people.
You realize...
That we are used to distrusting our authorities, but we blindly believe in the messages we receive via whatsapp
That panic mixed with misinformation is the perfect cocktail for disaster.
That the media is a powerful tool; for better or worse.
You realize...
That borders only exist on maps, and we are more interconnected than we can fathom.
That history is cyclical and repeats itself; but it still seems that we do not learn from it.
That pain, fear and vulnerability are the things that put us most in touch with our human reality.
You realize...
That silence is beautiful, healthy and necessary.
You realize...
That crises can bring out the worst in us; but also the best.
You realize...
That sitting down to reflect and write about these things is part of your privileged reality.
You realize...
That all this will happen at some point, and that we will probably return to the same place where we were before... without having learned anything
.LEARN FROM IT Wake up." Realize
