This recent pandemic is a strong reminder that this world continues to be filled with chaos and that our lives are fragile at best. It also reminds us that we are individually not all that important in the grand scheme of things. Sure, we’re important to the people we love and who love us in return. We are important to people who’s lives we impact for better or worse. That said, we are a tiny speck in the universe.

What’s worse is that even tinier specks are infecting us and killing us in droves. This isn’t the first time of course, and disease has had tremendous impact on human and even animal populations throughout history, but we got complacent. Perhaps it was our technology. Perhaps it was our luxury. Regardless, very few of us were recently concerned about an even as significant as the covid-19 infection. It created much chaos.

It is frightening how quickly we began to prey on one another in competition over supplies, including simple toilet paper. It is upsetting how we so easily slip into xenophobic tendencies when faced with a crisis. It is disheartening how many immediately see this pandemic as an opportunity to enrich themselves. It seems we have not grown much from our days and mere beasts.

Yet I am ever the optimist. While this event will alter attitudes and thinking for years to come, I am hopeful that we may regain some lost perspective. Namely, that we are not all that important. That the world does not in fact revolve around us. That pettiness and narcissism are not virtues but instead hubris. And lastly, that we live in a world ever balanced between order and chaos. If we slip to one side or another, we may meet our demise much sooner than we hoped.

So I encourage all to enjoy and celebrate the small things in life. A smile, a hug, the sunshine or a cool drink of water. Those things are in abundance and were never short supply. Drop the pursuit of petty things and cling to those close to your heart.

The world may be chaos for us tiny specks but we need not despair. Celebrate for we draw breath and are in this together. Cheers!