The challenges of a pandemic, but looking at the silver lining

As the Coronovirus pandemic has raged on the last year and a half, the consequences are innumerable. We have all had to adapt to this "new normal," which means trying to live our lives in the midst of a pandemic. And as many conversations with friends and colleagues show, it has been challenging to try to live our lives while the Coronovirus continues to pose a threat.

However, I thought this past week as to the silver linings of this pandemic, as startling as that may be. I have been engaging in ballet and yoga classes regularly, albeit virtually -- something that never really crossed my mind pre-pandemic. The virtualization of many realms of our lives - work, classes, relationship settings and activities - has definitely meant spending more time on our computers or virtual devices and being exposed to too many hours of Zoom. But it has also allowed greater flexibility in when and where I can participate in these activities and letting myself be open to greater number of talks, webinars, virtual classes, discussions, roundtables and fire-side chats -- something I didn't take as much advantage of pre-pandemic. Just this week, I participated in a fire-side chat with Stanford business school professor Dan Klein; the fire-side chat organizers commented how they never would have gotten to know him under normal settings just because of the sheer busyness of his schedule. But since the pandemic, he has become more available to talk with students and to participate in these intellectual and cultural exchanges more frequently. And I myself conversed with people from Seattle, Philadelphia and California in the course of days for work, something that required some maneuvering before the Coronovirus hit us. And the virtualization of these meetings and encounters in the midst of the chaos and uncertainty means a greater degree of intimacy, which I didn't realize before.

Tomorrow, I'm looking forward to a virtual ballet class via Zoom which will be streamed from Central Park, NYC of all places! I have been calling my grandmother more in South Korea and talking about the the challenges of Coronovirus in the U.S. and in South Korea - an activity I didn't engage in as frequently before the Coronovirus. The challenges of the past year and a half has made me appreciate Life more, even on a daily basis! I remind myself that I am still living and that I can continue breathing....

I know that there are those of us out there, for whom the Coronovirus means Life or death or poses immense challenges. But the pandemic has also brought some silver linings, as I contemplate on this past year and a half. I know it seems that this pandemic is dragging on, posing a not so palatable backdrop to our lives, but I also remind you dear readers that this time also is an opportunity for us to reflect on our Lives and to ask ourselves crucial questions about our Lives and about humanity--what it was like before and where it is heading. These questions have made me realize that I'm more resilient than I thought, as are so many of you out there, and we will continue to work together to be global citizens to make this world more habitable for future generations and to help usher in changes in the realms of epidemiology, climate change, poverty alleviation, gender empowerment, and helping to ensure a more equitable society for all.

It is only through asking tough questions and helping to control our reactions to these difficult times that such changes can be brought about! If you liked reading this story, please feel free to leave a tip so that I can continue ruminating and writing!