The reduction in emissions caused by the closure of factories or the empty streets have lowered the levels of pollution more dramatically than ever before. Crystal clear waters in Venice; dolphins bordering our cities; and on a modest scale, I can hear birds singing right in the middle of the Eixample! 

This probably gives us a clue so as to what to do in the future. If with brave decisions taken practically overnight we have been able to get this far what couldn’t be achieved after a careful process of global planning. 

This crisis is showing us the path to follow so let’s make the most of the chance we’re given. If we want, we certainly can.

Look at the video where we can see examples of what I mean!

I miss you all!

 We have been locked down for over two weeks and and I think that it is an awful situation. Nevertheless, I would focus on some positive aspects that we can get from it,  for example a new solidarity between people, institutions, organizations and companies around the world.

We know that there are groups of young people in every neighborhood which have organised themselves to help the elderly who can´t go out from home, so they need somebody  to do the shopping for them.

There are also some people making masks in their houses to give them  to those who need them. 

In zona Franca , a company has changed its production to make repirators for hospitals.

We can read in the newspaper or hear on TV many exemples of good people who open their house to  host immigrants who are in the street or children whose parents are in quarentine. 

I wish this solidarity would continue when the pandemia has happened.

 

Perhaps it is the moment to stop and think about how we have arrived at this point. This situation makes us see how we are very related to each other; this is the reason why we need to find a global solution. These current events involve all citizens in each country and at the same time all countries. This new pandemic has canceled the borders and shows us the real condition of our planet as our common house.

 

We must work all together to change our present life modus.  We need to seriously take measures to transform our relationship with nature and to strengthen our public health systems.  

All of us are in the “same boat”, we need to act in a unique way, with global environmental and social solutions. Without a doubt we are in front of a great opportunity to make a better life, but for all together. 

One of them is the possibility of spending more time with our children. Yes, I know that children can be very exhausting, but if we look for the positive side and make the most of it to enjoy their company, it will be a gift that we can never forget.

In my case, for example, we're cooking together, we joke together until we burst out laughing, and we even go for a run together. Yes, we are lucky enough to live in a house with a little bit of land that allows us to even run. These days, when most people can only go out on a balcony to breathe fresh air, we can exercise outdoors and even sunbathe - on days when it doesn't rain, of course.

In short, from Monday to Thursday I’m spending some very pleasant days with my children. Then they go off with their father and I miss them, but I'm glad I had the chance to share all those experiences with them.

 A couple of days ago a good friend of mine sent me this poem, probably some of you know it because it became viral very quickly, not just for the meaning but because somebody invented a fake story stating that the poem had been written in 1800 during the black plague.
In fact the poem was written by Kitty O’Meary a 65 year-old American writer two weeks ago.
Despite the fake and useless story I think the poem is very good in this unusual time which we are living nowadays.

The poem invites us to take time and make use of it as a gift.
It invites us to find those things we can do alone or with very small groups of people.
It invites us to discover reativity, the capacity to listen, and the opportunity to look after our beloved ones.
It invites us to stop and look around you and your family, your work, your desires, your dreams.

According to the poem, this difficult time gives people the opportunity to get in touch with their interior desires.
We are aware of how fragile our world is and how easily it can be destroyed.
All of this can be helpful to rebuild a new society which is less selfish, more open minded and healthier than that which we had built until now.

I think that the question is: Are we learning anything from this epidemic? 

 

I felt sad during these days when listening to some politicians on TV or on the radio speaking about COVID-19. In my opinion most of them don’t realize what is happening and it seems, that when this epidemic is finished, everything will stay the same.

 

On the other hand, a few days ago, I listened to Alanna Shaikh, global health expert, talking about this coronavirus, COVID-19 and what it can teach us about the new epidemics yet to come. The most important thing we must do is improving our health care system, here and everywhere in the world and moreover we must improve the educational system.

 

We’ll have difficult moments when this epidemic finishes and we’ll need solidarity, cooperation, sorority, collaboration, respect and we must work together very hard. In my opinion, the effect of collective action is the possibility to achieve a better world!

A recommendation: a book!

Podries, is a book written by Joana Raspall and illustrated by Ignasi Blanch. It is a wonderful book where the poetry invites us to solidarity, empathy and it explains to us how people have the same needs and the same feelings.

We could value going to class, going shopping and give hugs to our family or friends, also to go on a trip wherever and whenever we want. Now we can't. What’s more, we are used to having a public health service and normally we don’t see that in many countries they haven’t got one. We are very lucky in that aspect. 

Also we are very fortunate because in the period of time that we are living there are so many scientific advantages that help us find a solution, like a vaccine. I hope it will be soon. And we have things that in other times hadn't been invented or discovered.

 

Unfortunately, solidarity is temporary as usual. Nowadays, I have seen some examples about awful human behavior like disagreements between governments during the pandemic or the selfish behavior from the customers  who went to the supermarket at the beginning of the quarantine.

 

I would like to say that this pandemic will help us to improve as society but definitely I have never believed in human goodness. 

 

My own point of view is that when the virus finally disappears, most likely, no one will remember anything about those workers, cleaning staff, nurses, supermarket cashiers or about public healthcare workers. 

Nevertheless, I can find at least a common good point coming from the virus: it is good to our environment.

 

Despite the seriousness of the situation, I firmly think that it is a good time for me. In spite of working I have got rid of some daily routines like going to the gym or keeping my weight under control. In my case, this virus has forced me to stop my stressful way of life.

This quarantine shows me an easier and quieter life. The comfort of being in your sofa without pressure about time is a life pleasure.

 

After this is all over I would love to see more examples of solidarity, generosity of spirit and action.  

 

These days we have the chance to live with our families, spending our “valuable” time with them in a physical space instead of virtual. Talking about our feelings and worries, reading, playing all together, renewing contacts with friends speaking on the telephone, not only resending WhatsApp’s … Things that we had forgotten how to do and didn’t appreciate enough.

We are witnessing a lot of samples of solidarity, charity and collective effort. We take this opportunity to teach our children some human values, to appreciate doctors, nurses and all these people who had sacrificed his health to take care of the vulnerable population, as the real heroes, not football players or models who earn a lot of money.

We are becoming aware of how some of the drastic measures taken, for example, closure of factories, cancelled flights, …  can help improve global warming. 

If we are able to transmit our children these values, I think we will do a better society that can save our planet, because today’s children are the future of humanity and they will make a better world to live in.

The biggest cities have needed less than two weeks to improve the condition of their air, as a result of decreasing travelling and industrial activities. As a consequence, we could also have noticed a better quality of the air in Barcelona. We have even seen some wild pigs in Diagonal too. From my point of view, the planet needed the humans to stop (or to slow down) their activities as much as we did. This is our opportunity to build a world with no nitrogen dioxide emissions in order to prevent some health issues and natural disasters. Furthermore, it is true that our lifestyle was really sick, we have been destroying the planet, overproducing and getting profit at the expense of the work of others. I hope we have still enough time to fix that.

It's a pity that nothing was done before to avoid this situation, so now it's time to see if most of our activities, like shopping and travelling are really necessary things. We could do a lot of things differently. And if Seat, a Spanish car manufacturing company, is making respirators because it is better business now, we can also adapt all our needs to live in a better world. It depends on us. To sum up, it's time to change.

Another issue that is linked to the situation we are currently experiencing is that some of the technological companies in favour of science, which for a long time considered themselves "Powerful", are receiving a lesson in humility, because apparently they have been unable to keep up with viral mutations of a biological nature. In addition to that, governments around the world also realized that the public health system has been underrated for many years. reducing the budget allocated to it, even trying to privatize the public health system.

On the other hand, COVID-19 is also affecting us, not only physically, but also mentally. Affecting our feelings, feelings like being more stressed, more anxious, and sometimes sadness, and so on. But the worst feeling is fear, which is spreading across the world more than COVID-19 itself. However, I would like to rescue certain positive aspects. This period reminds us that we are not so different from each other, that there are no borders, ethnic groups or religious beliefs, amongst others. We are aware now that we are all the same. And that in a situation like this, solidarity is our best weapon to face our problems. 

To conclude, this situation invites us to change our way of thinking a little bit. Make a stop and see how we are feeling spiritually and emotionally. Maybe, we have to start to appreciate something as simple as taking a little walk down the street, enjoying a sunny day, walking on the grass without shoes, etc. To a certain extent, the COVID-19 has forced us to spend more time with our families and friends through video calls. But this is not the way we like the most, like, hugging and touching and feeling the real. Before this situation happened, we excused ourselves for not having enough time to share with friends and family. I hope that when everything finishes each of us will find an improved version of themselves.

Though we can see how pollution is decreasing (of course, that is good for the environmemt) or how people help each other.

On the other hand we can also see how politicians argue and don't work united or how many people take advantage of the tragedy. 

When all this finishes I wonder, if everything will be the same as before. People forget and never learn. I wish I was wrong..

Fortunately, there are always some little things that make you smile and feel happy.

This is the case of “stay homas” It’s a new musical group born from the lockdown. 

They are 3 friends , they live together and they decided to sing about how they are spending their time and what we have to do these days staying at home, transmiting a message of good vibes and civic awareness.

They are sharing and singing their songs in their house’s rooftop in Barcelona and uploading them in the social networks like Instagram or You Tube. 

They are managing to make us feel better for a few minutes. They are working for us, they are composing new songs for us. I’m happy for the success of this group, because thanks to coronavirus “Stay homas” will have its reward. 

Secondly, I apreciate the lack of noise we have in town, it's really hard to believe how quiet it is!

Also I spend more time talking with my family and friends.

Talking about the direct benefits to the world, this lockdown has considerably reduced the level of pollution in the air and on the ocean. That benefits natural reforestation, animal repopulation (both aquatic and land ones) and decreasing global warming.

In my personal opinion this is a test for humanity, and it's the perfect moment to make changes in our life style:

I hope everyone is fine and that we can see each other soon!

I miss walking on the street. I miss buying something in a small shop. I miss going to swim. I miss my friends. And I miss you.

It’s a terrible situation, although I see a lot of positive things. I see solidarity, empathy, responsibility, greatfulness, generosity… I know that the world now is better than two months ago. There is less pollution, the air is so clean… These positive aspects have already been well explained by my classmates. 

I would like to abord a specific aspect related to the confined children and the school year. There are people who think that children will miss the school year and I ask myself: What happens if the students don’t learn somethings about maths but they learn how to cook with their parents instead? What happens if they don’t know anything about grammar but they spend time talking with their grandparents? 

I think they won’t miss a school year, they will have a better future!  

 

Also, at this time we value things that we did not value before, such as being able to attend to classes in person, buy clothes, eat out in restaurants, go to the cinema, travel, and be able to go outside with freedom ... but on the other hand, all this has taught us to enjoy the simplest things in life like  sunbathing on the terrace, spending more time with the people we love, going out into the street, etc….

 

In my opinion, when this is all over, people will have learned to value everything that this life offers us, and on the other hand to respect all the jobs that exist, from a seller in a supermarket to a doctor. Next, I put a link to a very interesting video that I found because it explains the benefits of nature in different countries at the time of covid-19.