Today, the whole world is united under one flag, and that flag represents the human race. It is calling on all people to join the fight against the deadly Covid-19 virus. This virus knows no borders and does not discriminate against age, color or religion. This pandemic is causing us fear and anxiety and it is threatening our existence. It is like watching a horror movie. We have no idea who is going to expire next. However, unlike a horror movie where our brain is fully aware that it is not real, the horror of this virus is very real.

Being bombarded with the endless Covid-19 news forced me to revert back to my younger days during the civil war in Lebanon. I could not help but ask myself: “Which is worse? The war or this pandemic?” It is my belief that many people who survived a war are asking themselves the same question. It is also my opinion that this holds true for patients battling a deadly illness, or others who had to deal with natural disasters.

Living under any of these circumstances can create an unimaginable amount of stress, which has the ability to drain any human emotionally, psychologically and physically. Once more, I could not help but think about the many people that are currently experiencing some kind of war – whether it is civil, religious, revolutionary or even financial. These people are now on the frontline of two wars. Not only do they have to protect themselves from bombs and missiles, but they also have to fight the coronavirus war. And for those who are in need, they still need to go out to find a way to feed themselves and their families while risking being infected. It is important to keep in mind that throughout any war, the bare necessities of human kind gradually disappear. Water, electricity, fuel, phones and internet become a luxury. Freedom, existence and wellbeing – which is the highest aim of people – turn into a mere fantasy.

To many who were lucky enough not to experience a war, here is what I remember on one particular night out, during many years of turmoil.

I remember the darkness filled with the sound of warplanes hovering over the city and missile-firing battleships. I remember running to the middle of the building next to the elevator to take refuge. That was supposedly the safest spot. Some just sat there in silence shedding tears, some sobbed while others simply prayed. The expression on their faces was an expression of anxiety, fear and pain, which was totally justified. The continuous hissing and whistling of bombs was deafening. Every bomb or missile shook the ground underneath us like an earthquake. We had no way of knowing whether those missiles only destroyed the building or the whole town. And more importantly, we had no way of knowing who survived and who died. Staying alive was our sole objective. In the end, some survived and some died. For those of us who survived, that was not the end of our horror movie, but it was only one night out of many nights. We knew that another similar scene was yet to come.

I cannot fathom living that night in today’s reality of coronavirus. Envisioning the residents of our building snuggled closely next to the elevator. We would have had zero control over our destiny simply because we would not have had the luxury of social distancing. One person would have had the capability of infecting many other tenants. In other words, we had no choice but to nestle together. However, for the more fortunate ones, we have a choice today. We can control the affliction of our Covid-19 war. We can fight by joining hands (figuratively speaking). We can fight by stepping out of our homes only when necessary. We can fight by wearing our masks and gloves, and by doing the simplest things doctors advise us to do. And more importantly, we can fight by donating to the less fortunate. If we all do our part, the number of infected people will drop, the virus will slowly disappear, and eventually, healing will begin. Certainly, the fight will not be an easy one. It has already caused thousands of deaths. Its devastating effects around the world, such as unemployment and poverty, are going to be felt for many years to come.

The point of telling you this is not to depress you or to compare the war to the coronavirus, but to remind you of the expression “every cloud has a silver lining.” Maybe the silver lining in our cloud today will be a rude awakening to stop all wars, whether civil, religious, revolutionary, financial or biological. Because Covid-19 does not discriminate between the powerful, the rich or the poor, it might be a reminder to those who are holding the reigns to reconsider their power of wars and remember that all humans are created equal. Instead of declaring wars, maybe this pandemic will bring some awareness and realization that “WE.” the people, must focus our efforts on more important issues such as human and environmental health, and social equity. I will end with the quote from my grandfather, Jawdat Haidar who was poet:

To quit a vile world of bloodshed and crime
Immorality pollution and shame
A world of a tarnished honor and name

Look how the angels are roving in space
In a world of peace and love without hate
A world of devotion and ever sane
A world of virtue sanity and grace

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