“When I am happy, I want the time to stop so I can freeze the moment, but I remember that every tick of the clock could mean a second of healing for those who are hurting.”
The situation we have today reminded me of the phrase above that I wrote 7 to 8 years ago. GCQ or General Community Quarantine is now in effect in the Philippines. In Dubai, residents, and citizens can now go out unrestricted from 11 PM to 6 AM. Businesses are now reopening with 50% of the workforce allowed within the premises. Things are slowly moving to the new normal.
The move to ease restrictions on movement garnered different reactions. A lot of people from the Philippines were against the move to shift from ECQ to GCQ. Some went beyond criticizing and resorted to name-calling and insulting others who cheered the decision. Many said that the government put aside the health risks and warnings. But I see it differently. I believe that the decision to lift restrictions will benefit everyone.
I find it sad that a lot of people can’t see the good that will come out of this decision to lift movement restrictions. While I do understand their concerns, I hope they can also see how it benefits a lot of people. As someone who works in the F&B industry, I witnessed how our company had to furlough at least 60 employees. That’s 60 people, who, at this difficult time lost their source of income due to the loss of business. Now that things are going back to normal, in time these people will be able to find jobs again. The government knows too well the economic impact the restrictions had on everyone, and this is why after careful consideration; decided to slowly reopen businesses.
Seek to unite, not divide
My point? I hope we all learn to listen to understand and not listen to react. Words are powerful, so powerful that they could either break or build someone. These are exceptionally difficult times. We’re all suffering and affected in one way or another. Hateful speech will not bridge the gap between you and the person who disagrees with your point of view. It only widens the gap even more and adds to another’s suffering.
Instead of causing another problem, be the solution. There is a saying that goes, “if you can’t say something good then don’t say anything at all.” Freedom to express one’s thoughts does not give one freedom to do so with hate. We are allowed to be angry but let’s not be rude. Instead of bashing what we hate, or those whose thoughts do not align with ours, why not promote what we love? Why not engage in an intelligent and informed discourse instead? If neither one of us can win the argument, we can always agree to disagree, right?
Let’s make this world less toxic by uniting instead of being divided by our own beliefs. Seek to find middle ground instead of burning bridges.
