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PonderTheMoment - Navigating the Present to Ensure a Future
Lowell Sheppard • March 24, 2020
#PonderTheMoment
Nemo North
is a 'place' where I want to go to ponder profound themes
. . . the meaning of life, the future of our planet, and the role of the human species.
Quite unexpectedly, and in a way that was not welcome, I am experiencing a Nemo-North moment
now. And despite the social distancing, it is not a SOLO moment. It is a moment we all share.
Let me explain
I have devoted a large chunk of my life to working with people struggling to, not only survive but, become self-reliant and self-determining. I have forged friendships with many individuals and families over decades and I have been impressed by two things.
The first is the absolute importance of water in our daily lives. Water to drink
and water to wash. In fact, WASH is an acronym used in our projects: 'Water, Sanitation, Hygiene'. When water is available and used, it transforms the physical and economic health of families and communities.
The second is the enormous will to not only survive, but for people to thrive and become self-reliant. It is inspiring, to say the least. The power of the human spirit.
Since the turn of the this century the world has moments that have captured and frightened us:
- on 9/11 ( 2001), we saw 2,996 human beings die, and democracy and freedom under attack and threat
- on Dec 26th, 2004, South Asia Tsunami . . we shuddered at the power of the planet to unleash fury and we mourned the loss of 227,898 lives
- in 2008, the Lehman Shock threatened the global economy
- on 3/11 (2011), 18,428 lives lost or missing as the earth moved under Japan and the entire archipelago shifted; hundreds of kilometer of coastline were devastated.
And then there were the health crisis:
- SARS in 2004 with 774 deaths
- H1N1 in 2009 with 284,000 deaths
- Ebola 2014-2016 with 11,325 deaths
- and others
The Present
But, nothing compares to the global impact of the current COVID-19 crisis.
Around the world, we are seeing unprecedented actions by governments and societies as we realize it is the human species
that is at stake.
Yesterday, WHO (World Health Organization) announced that the spread of COVID-19 is accelerating. The number of cases reached the first 100,000 in 67 days. The second 100,000 was reached just 11 days later, with us exceeding the third 100,000 in just four days.
This is a moment to ponder how precious human life is, and how powerful is the human spirit.
So, take a moment to ponder these profound themes, wash up, and take care of each other.
For me at least, this is a Nemo-North moment. We did not welcome it, but let's embrace the silver lining and renew our resolve to overcome.
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