A virus from no where (well actually from China) has brought the world to a grinding halt. The biggest and the mightiest of the nations who have led space missions, created nuclear warheads, subjugated other nations have no clue on how to deal with this unseen catastrophe. People who had their lives perfectly planned out for the next twenty years are mulling about the next course of action. In short, none of us on this planet (perhaps except China) don’t know what to do.

A friend I was talking to the other day said that such a thing happens around the 20th year of every century. She quoted the example of the Spanish Flu which happened in 1918. Whether or not her observation is correct is a matter of debate. However, the ongoing COVID has not only impacted the world at large but also has been instrumental in revealing the true nature of every human today.

No, we are not standing here and judging people. Far from it. We are just trying to understand the adage ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed.’ There are people who are donating the essential commodities, helping people and creating a huge publicity campaign around it. Then, there are people who are quietly doing their bit and not even uttering a word about it. There are employers who have assured their employees that they will do the best they can to support them even if they are unable to work with them. On the other hand, there are employers who have told their employees to find other options or look elsewhere because they are trying to save money in the long run.

All our moral science text books and scriptures have time and again reiterated that a true hero is not the one who helps people when everything is going good. On the contrary, a true hero is the one who gets going when things get tough. It may look as if nothing really matters in the long run but looks can be deceptive.

Life somehow has a tendency of levelling up everything for everyone. Karma is as much a reality as are the sun and the moon. So, as we carefully steer our ships through these stormy waters, let us put on our own oxygen masks and then help people who are struggling to find a life boat.

Remember this exam will pass but the results will stay for life.