LESSONS OF COVID-19

 WHEN TOILET PAPER WAS KING: LESSONS OF COVID-19, THE PANDEMIC THAT SHOOK THE WORLD 

When news of the Covid-19 pandemic broke upon us, we scrambled for clarity and expert opinions. We surfed the web, listened to scientific dissertations and talked to our doctors, in a frantic attempt to be safe from the deadly virus. We made all efforts to become familiar with the nature of the fatal virus, searching desperately for causes and effects. 

Lockdowns,shutdowns,isolation and catastrophic economic conditions suddenly became the new norm. The days of the mask 

were  upon us, resurrecting the deathly march of the Spanish Flu of 1918. Food and other household items became scarce, sending all and sundry to crowded supermarkets. 

But, lo and behold, as if nature's simplicity yearned for this pandemic, we were transposed back in time , leaving the glories of a scientific revolution that has made us slaves to a maddening developmental process, to rediscover the necessity of something we took for granted - toilet paper! Instead of rushing through the ailes of neighborhood stores for food items, we made a frantic dash for toilet paper!

Toilet paper had instantly graduated from being a simple, silent commodity, spinning on a spool, to a top shelf necessity, with a proud claim to championship status!

This newfound status was garnered and achieved through a process which culminated after a long and ardous journey, as it fought to replace other simple ways of personal and hygienic methods of cleaning oneself, in contemporaneous style. Water, sand, leaves, and discarded paper from magazines and newspapers, all played a part in this developmental path to stardom, until the soft and absorbent tissue, spinning on a roll, in quiet, comforting silence, became a willing  partner in toilets and bathrooms!

Toilet paper was always there for us. It never  objected to the task at hand. We accepted it, allowing it to touch us, day after day. We never questioned it's goodness and relevance, and in the complex, demanding, addictive lives of striving for more, and more, we forgot that it was there, resting quietly on a cold spindle.

And then Covid-19 struck! The ensuing pandemic brought the tissue to life! It spoke and attracted the attention of all. Many hastened and flocked to the stores, grabbing all that they get, until the shelves were empty. Empty for days because the suppliers couldn't keep up with the huge demand.

Toilet paper was suddenly famous, filling carts, cars, vans, even trucks! It was getting hugs and caresses from people who rushed to hoard it.

This soft tissue was definitely one of the many heroes of Covid-19. It was a simple necessity, taken for granted, and relegated to the back burners of the hustle and bustle of everyday life, until it was goaded to championship status by a dreadful and deadly virus. 

Let us not allow other simple, basic necessities, and proven attributes for a good life, to be put on back burners. Let us not allow these valuable tenets to be overlooked and overshadowed by the 'modern' world in which we live. Let us not wait for a catastrophic catalyst to awaken love, humility, respect, kindness, decorum, and an abundance of unbiased, profound feeling for all peoples of the world in which we live.