Sunday Times 2
Love in adversity: Adversity in plenty – Policing the Police
“Love is a many-splendored thing. Love is nature’s way of giving reason to be living.” — song by Sammy Fain & Paul Francis (1955).
Let us also remember, “Hatred does not cease by hatred, but only by love, this is the eternal truth.” – Buddha.
“If you want to see the brave, look at those who can forgive. If you want to see the heroic, look at those who can love in return for hatred.” – Bhagawad Gita.”
“Be slow to anger and abound in love.”- The Holy Bible.
But why, oh why, is there so much rivalry, distrust and hate in the world that scientific discoveries and inventions by super-powers are used more for destruction and devastation of mankind than for its general uplifting? Although this is a race for supremacy between the super-powers, it is much to the detriment of all mankind.
Companies do not prioritize environment protection. They prioritise monetary gain only. So do governments.
To bring all countries to level, the coronavirus had to come and it has succeeded. This virus is no respecter of superpowers, princes or peasants.
It now seems that Covid-19 is a blessing in disguise. Ironically, statistics have shown that twenty times more lives have been saved by the shut-down in China than deaths during the first two months. It is only when we directly face disaster or are about to die that we take extreme measures and change our lifestyles and fight for survival. All these things have a chain reaction. All round the world, nature is communicating with us. This is the Covid-19 revolution and it is saving lives. Shutdowns, for instance, have resulted in waterways being clear and sky turning blue and healthy. The shutdown in China has reduced global pandemic emissions (CO 2) by 25%.
How true what Shakespeare has written: “Sweet are the uses of adversity”. It means: The best way to deal with hard times is to hold onto one’s patience and good sense; endurance and fortitude can make the test of destiny easier to cope with; anger, disappointment and impulsive actions are often the catalyst for disaster; tough times can be viewed as hard taskmasters who are out to give some important lessons; there is no escaping them because that would bring in more trouble. Even miracles have appeared most in adversity.
Now with common cause, all people in all countries have to fight the common enemy – the new coronavirus. It reminds of the famous poem written by John Donne (1572 – 1631): Excerpts go like this:
“No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; Any man’s death diminishes me because I am involved in mankind. And therefore never ask for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.”
Conversely, it is also true that plenty and abundance leads to more consumerism, materialism, commercialism, competition, rivalry, jealousy and hate. What a vicious circle this is! Man, oh man, where has gone your reason for living?
Things have brought us to a point which makes us realise that all people must come together and utilise all available resources, for food, clothing, shelter and health facilities, for everyone, if mankind is to survive.
I find that I have been writing on morals that have been preached from time immemorial. Yet, good to review and revise as we are slow to learn and quick to forget.
(The writer is a retired Superintendent of Police. He can be contacted by
email seneviratnetz@gmail.com)