The Coronavirus is my second first-hand experience with an epidemic. As a baby in Jerusalem, Polio ran rampant and paralyzed people and a nation with fear. My brother and I both contracted the disease. Two years my senior and having had the full series of vaccines, Chip’s system was able to fight off the virus. I was less fortunate and suffered paralysis in both of my legs and parts of my right arm.
The world once again faces a menace. Like an invasion of Martians, the Coronavirus will affect everyone. The future is out of our control. We consume a cocktail packed with an abundance of fear about the unknown mixed with paralyzing doubts. But we must be careful not to allow exaggerating the challenge ahead to defeat us. We must not let our fears block our progress. Like my broadsided parents all those years ago, we too need resilience and the trust in ourselves that we will find a way through. In times like these, connecting with people who support and challenge us (even from an arms length) can help us to remain calm and to carry on.
