No one can argue with the fact that life as we know it has changed drastically over the past week in Turkey, as the first cases of coronavirus in the country have unfortunately begun to surface. The nation has adopted a “social distancing” policy, in which everyone in the country is advised to limit their time spent in the company of others and to remain in their homes as much as possible. Those who show flu-like symptoms or have returned from abroad must self-isolate. Generally, all of us in Turkey are staying in our domiciles and seeing those closest and dearest to us only when necessary.
While this abrupt change in our lifestyles, as schools close, many places of business go on hiatus and others work from home, may seem to be a major disruption for the weeks to come, it is always best to find the silver lining in situations. As far as I can see so far, there may be a number of them.
Here are some of the lessons I learned from social distancing:
Embrace the human race
Let’s face it, for the foreseeable future, the coronavirus is here. It is making people sick and is taking lives. This virus is hitting hard the elderly population and those with underlying medical conditions, and thus in the big game of life, the underdogs. So, for all of those naysayers out there who preach that it is “just a cold,” I implore you to accept the fact that for the majority of the world, this is much, much more. I don’t understand why people would want to blatantly endanger others, particularly the elderly for that matter, when we have the choice to just stay away and not pose a threat to those more susceptible. This is no longer a disease divided by countries: It has crossed borders and age divisions, so please, don’t be selfish and just embrace the social distancing policy that has spread worldwide to save lives and to stop the suffering of the human race.
Togetherness alone
While it may be a shock to suddenly have to spend all our time at home and be aware of every surfaced touched when outside of it, we must remind ourselves that we are all in this together. Multiple countries are practicing social distancing and if they are not already, evidence has shown that they should be. This is a time of immense solidarity in the world as everyone including, politicians, famous musicians, actors and sportsmen alike are all doing what needs to be done by staying out of contact to not spread the virus further. There are also a number of creative solutions for staying in remote contact, such as singing or working out together from balconies, popping up all over the world. Remember also that you can always just pick up the phone and dial a family member or friend and call to say I love you.
Waste not, want not
While we are all scampering to get supplies for the homestead as we settle into doing this social distancing thing right, let us not forget what the true purpose of going out shopping is these days. Ultimately, we should be shopping for those items that will last the longest, to enable us to stay isolated from others as much as possible. Ideally, this shopping should also take place in as few venues as possible so we contact less potential virus spreading surfaces and people. The whole point should be less contact and more efficient supplies and not simply fun snacks to enjoy. Unhealthy foods not only add inches to your waist, but they also finish fast and cause cravings, which may just send you to the store again, which is what we are trying to avoid in the first place. Meanwhile, I had a great awakening while trying to conserve what I purchased and in setting up my fridge and pantry. I can’t believe how much food is actually wasted and thrown out. I have also realized that I didn’t necessarily need to be driving around town to go shopping as much as I had been, and I am surprisingly relieved at the moment to be forced to just stay home.
Join the improvement movement
I implore you all to see this social distancing in a positive light and not as a curse. News of the reduction of air pollution over countries such as China and Italy and dolphins and swans frolicking in the Venice canals, should be enough to allow us to rejoice in the fact that at least a few good things are surfacing. There are also a number of ways to make this time work to our benefit, by working on our own personal development and focusing on becoming our own perfect self. Whether it is embarking on spring cleaning, learning a new language or instrument, reading books or taking part in the vast educational and entertainment options online, there are ways to make our self-induced quarantines (cool). If not, there is still no better time to just relax and learn how to do nothing. Try to feel no guilt in gaming, getting rest or just hanging out. For the next fortnight, FOMO, aka “the fear of missing out,” no longer exists and all that matters is being able to breathe deeply, literally.
