By Joshua L. //
It’s been nearly seven weeks since the local circuit breaker measures kicked in and, accordingly, since I last left the house. I must say – it’s been a homebody’s dream for the most part. I’ve managed to catch up on much needed sleep, finally start on a book I picked up three years ago, and even slot in a workout routine (though, this one is significantly less enjoyable than the other two). Dare I say, this has given me a good chance to slow down from the haste of life and collect myself.
Yet, I recognise that I speak from the position of privilege as a fresh graduate and a pre-enlistee. The impact of COVID-19 has not been equal on everybody.
This period has been a tough time for some more than others. Frontline workers put themselves at risk every day, grocers and hawkers work tirelessly and sometimes thanklessly, cab drivers are out of a job – the list goes on. The repercussions of the pandemic have hit close to home as well; most of my family members have been out of our jobs for a month.
Social media has surfaced some off putting, ugly behaviours in light of the lockdown. By now, everybody’s heard about races to stockpile toilet paper or the emptying of shelves in supermarkets. I even stumbled across a very upsetting social media post about a prank played on food delivery riders. Healthcare workers in essential services are avoided like the plague, shunned and shamed by neighbours instead of being supported and cared for. It makes me wonder if perhaps the real virus ruining society is apathy.
Thankfully, not everything I’ve seen people doing has been as grievous. I’ve been blessed to catch glimpses of selflessness and altruism manifesting in many ways and forms. Perhaps the most well-known example was how citizens have been rallying others to donate their government-issued $600 to charities or different causes (which you can check out here and here).
I’ve seen this in action at home as well. My mother tried her hand at this by casually asking a couple of her more well-off friends to donate to a cause for migrant workers. Before we knew it, the original donation amount increased tenfold. “The five loaves and two fishes story come to life”, she said. What pleasantly surprised us was how willing people were to give if asked.
My dad’s been taking a different approach to sharing resources by making it a point to buy meals from nearby hawkers rather than from commercial brands. He claims it’s a small gesture from him because he’d need to buy food anyway, but says if he can offer support to someone’s livelihood in the process, he will. Though, I’m not sure how many more days I can go eating mee pok.
Sharing resources has come in non-monetary forms too. I’ve heard stories of people sewing personalised masks for others, and some of my friends have even initiated a campaign for the elderly and homeless. My gig-less, musician sister has even been giving free performances over livestream in hopes of brightening up this otherwise bleak period of life.
As a youth going through this circuit breaker period, I’m encouraged by the idea that we each have the ability to uplift someone else’s circuit breaker experience and buffer the negative impact this pandemic has brought.
Not all of us may be up for starting a new campaign or volunteering with an organisation, but you can support your nearby mama shop; drop a friend a text; tip the delivery man the next time you order food – the possibilities are as endless as their impacts.
Circuit breaker may have brought society to a standstill, but perhaps now is humanity’s time to shine.
Joshua sees himself as a regular person (though his friends may contest that.) He graduated with a Diploma in Psychology and is currently awaiting his mandatorily head shave. He believes in seeking first to understand rather than to be understood and hopes that everybody will one day know their intrinsic worth.
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