Well Survived

On the 11th March 2022, it will be exactly two years since World Health Organisation declared the COVID-19 respiratory Disease a pandemic. No one saw it coming and no one could tell when it would end. But then, nothing lasts forever.

As of 05 March 2022, the Johns Hopkins Corona Virus Resource Centre gives the following statistics:

Globally

Total confirmed cases       445,221,450

Total deaths                            5,996,046

Vaccines:

Total Corona virus-19 vaccines administered      10, 579, 829, 314

From https://worldometer.info USA has suffered the most deaths: 975,150 as of 1 st March 2022.

Followed by Brazil : 649,443 and then India :514,054. From 1918 to 1919, the Spanish flu infected an estimated 500 million people globally and killed about 50 million people. USA suffered the most deaths at 675,000.

UGANDA:

Total Confirmed cases                            163,383

Total Deaths                                                   3,590

Vaccine:

 Doses administered                           16,672,943

People Fully vaccinated                              2,706,785

Percentage of population fully vaccinated  6.11%.

The vaccine uptake has been slow ; less than the global target of 40% of the population by December 2020.

BOTSWANA

Confirmed case                                                  263,950

Deaths                                                                       2,619

Vaccines:

Doses Administered                                     1,162,835

People Fully vaccinated                                1,162, 835

Percentage Fully vaccinated                                  50.  48 %

Uganda relaxed the Corona virus-19 Lockdown restrictions on 25 January 2022 to open up the economy since the new cases had greatly reduced. More people were getting fully vaccinated.

I sincerely thank the health workers in my country and worldwide for having been on the frontline of this unprecedented war. I honour all those who lost their lives in the course of duty.

It feels so good and liberating to know that as long as I practice the safety guidelines of masking up, social distancing, avoiding crowded places and being updated on vaccination boosters, I can at least get out of my house and do a few essential tasks for myself.

It reminded me of the late 70s and 80s when the civil strife was at its peak here in Uganda.

We would stock dry foods and hide in our houses for days until the new group of fighters overthrew the sitting government and declared their victory over the national radio.

We would then come out cautiously as if walking on thorns and congratulate each other on surviving the assaults, the gun fire, the running, and the ducking.  “Well –survived,’’ we would greet each other.

We have never forgotten those scary days.

If you are reading this post now I am saying to you, “ Well –survived so far.’’

With COVID -19, we have all suffered the mental torture caused by the fear and uncertainty , the many deaths that we could not mourn, the disconnection from loved ones and the fear of the unknown.

The disease affected all areas of our lives; many have died from it, others suffered from it and are yet to regain their health , many health workers died from it in the course of their duty, many especially those who previously worked in the service sector have lost their jobs. The dysfunctional service delivery systems have been laid bare and the marginalised groups in our population have been exposed.

The disease has consumed our time and attention for a whole two years! This is unprecedented. How we have all waited with bated breath for things to return closer to what we knew   as normal.

Now we are living with the consequences of this lockdown period.

Life during lockdown

Reading through the stories of some of the survivors of the Spanish flu of 1918, I found many similarities.

The majority of people endured the devastation caused by the disease and became resilient. Trusting life, they strived to regain control of their lives. 

The rest, like us responded according to their genetic makeup and surrounding environments. A few suffered symptoms ranging from mild to severe.

1.MILD- a few suffered mild symptoms like disturbed sleep, short periods of confusion and detachment.

2. Moderate- living in fear, anxiety and panic. These needed community support.

 3.Severe   – These failed to recover from the terrifying experience and developed what the psychologist call Post Traumatic Disorder. They became severely depressed and anxious and this affected their ability to function in social and work settings and negatively impact on their relationships. A number of them suffered from “ Survivor’s guilt’’- trying to figure out whether they deserved to live while others died.

This group needed psychotherapy with or without medication. It took them years to regain control of their lives.

Thankfully, the majority of us fall under the resilient that quickly come to terms to what happened and  move on. Unlike the Spanish flu survivors, those who  will develop moderate to severe symptoms have a lot of support due to the advances in medicine and increased community awareness of the condition.

I have no doubt that each one of us has learned something useful out of this two-year experience.

I have learned that the most important things in life is life itself- to be healthy, up and about followed by good relationships.

Well researched psychologists’ studies confirm that:

·        Strong healthy relationships increase our emotional wellbeing. They hold us together during stressful situations and when we face difficulties in life.

·        They create stability in our lives. They help to us to connect to others, to feel that we belong and  that we are needed and  matter.

·        They help to bring out the “real us’. Each relationship elicits a different response in us helping us to learn about ourselves and grow.

·        Bad relationships can be as destructive as any serious disease. In severe cases, they rob us of our self-worth and confidence, pushing us into depression and anxiety.

Many of us that will survive the impact of the long COVID -19 lockdown are supported by such strong healthy relationships.

As we pick up the pieces, we have to remember not to let our guard down since COVID-19 virus is still with us. It is still considered a public health emergency.  Like some earthquake aftershocks, it could cause us more damage.

So let us adhere to the required SOPs, encourage people to get fully vaccinated while we keep learning and being updated on this disease which has caused so much turmoil in our lives.

“ WELL SURVIVED’’.

QUESTION:

Are you able to talk about this unprecedented experience and are you being kind and patient to yourself and others as you pick up the thread of life?

                                                                      ANYTHING WILL DO

A decorated Christmas tree

Anyone alive today has gone through almost two years packed with uncertainty and confusion due to the COVID – 19 virus. The determining variables that control the course of the pandemic keep changing and we are all learning as we go along. Many are likely to develop “pandemic fatigue”- becoming less motivated to strictly follow the recommended safety guidelines.

Just when we thought that we had moved forward through a combination of full vaccination, masking up and physical distancing, a new variant- Omicron, of the Covid-19 virus shows up on 26th November 2021.It is indeed very bad timing for all of us more so for those who celebrate the festive season. Many of us had started planning how to make the most of a difficult situation.

In my house, a grandson from Canada had confirmed his intention to join us for Christmas and the celebration of our mother’s 90th birthday around the same time, so had a sister in Sweden and another in UK and my son from Cape Town. We last saw them at Christmas time in 2019! 

Recently, we have lived with so much death around us in our communities and worldwide. The unshared pain and loss have drained our empathy, leaving us in emotional turmoil. Celebrating Christmas with a few loved ones would have been some form of compensation to us. The restricted travel movements that followed the emergency of the new variant, have robbed us of this privilege. Our confidence has been shaken once more.

As of now all I have been telling myself is that I am still alive and one event in the year is not my whole life. “Anything will do for Christmas and New Year.”

No doubt, the two years of restricted travel movements and physical disconnectedness have given us time to ourselves. Time to take inventory of the things we have gathered over our lifetimes; people, networks of relationships and material things and how they have contributed to the stories of our lives. Such reflections help us to look beyond this pandemic and look out for rainbows of hope for a better future. Nothing lasts forever. Life’s small joys add up to a fulfilled life.

“You do not develop courage by being happy in your relationships every day. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.”- Epicurus

“Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is that little voice at the end of the day that says I’ll try again tomorrow.”- Mary Anne Radmacher.

I am now reminding myself to sing in the rain,

smile through tears

dance in the darkness

and to trust myself in the silence.

All that I am saying is that I am giving myself full permission to examine and rediscover with pleasure the people, the network of relationships and the material things that I have gathered around me over the years.

Not forgetting the many loved ones whom I have lost to COVID-19 and natural causes.

As John Lennon said, “Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.”

Here are some photographs from my collection to colour your life during this tough festive season.

Some rugged mountains of the Western Cape, South Africa

Tangled up with Nature
The canna lilies- a permanent feature of my childhood

At first I thought they were snakes- Some wild creepers

QUESTION

Time will not stop. How are you planning to make the most of this relentless situation?

Thank you for following my Blog. I appreciate you greatly.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New year.

Sing with gusto for being alive, up and about.

May the good Lord guide us into a way of living with COVID-19 in our midst.

USUALLY IT GETS WORSE BEFORE IT GETS BETTER

Many times, things tend to get worse before they get better.

River Tana in Kenya burst its banks.

Courtesy of Nation Media Group

We were working towards a new normal in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic- getting fully vaccinated and strictly adhering to the SOPS especially social distancing. Then on the 26 th November 2021, WHO declared a new ‘variant of concern’ of the COVID-19 virus and named it OMICRON.

The virologist tell us that all viruses make mistakes as they copy themselves and these genetic mistakes are called mutations. Viruses mutate constantly especially those that contain RNA genetic material as the Corona viruses and influenza viruses. Most mistakes are so small that they do not significantly affect how the virus works. Those mutations that are significant help the virus copy itself and get into the host’s cells easily. Some fade away and others render the virus weak.

There are over one thousand COVID-19 variants but few like: delta, alpha, beta and gamma are labelled as ‘ variants of concern’. They cause increased rate of transmission, increased hospitalisation and increased deaths. They also affect the effectiveness of the available vaccines, making COVID-19 hard to defeat. COVID-19 respiratory disease is a new disease and scientists and ordinary people are learning as they go along. It may take another two to four weeks to know what we need to know about this  Omicron variant more so on how it may influence the course of the pandemic.

As of the 3rd December 2021,the Johns Hopkins coronavirus resource centre showed the following statistics:

Globally: 265,876, 379 Confirmed Cases

                     5,256 285 Deaths

Uganda: 127,655 Confirmed Cases

                     3,254 Deaths

4,835,777 vaccine doses administered

912, 993 people fully vaccinated ( 0f 47,791,313 based on Worldometer)

% of Population Fully Vaccinated 2.06%

Botswana

195,302 Confirmed Cases

      2,419 Deaths

1,430,084 Vaccine doses administered

People fully vaccinated( of 2,418,722) 508,980

% of Population fully vaccinated : 22.09%

I was among the first 300 individuals  in my country to get the first dose of the Astra Zeneca/Oxford coronavirus vaccine on the 10th March 2021. By mid- May , I had received my second vaccine dose and my “Fully Vaccinated” certificate.

Since then, I have been encouraging the vulnerable members in my community to get fully vaccinated while continuing to adhere to the Ministry of health Standard operative procedures.

Little wonder then that I found the news of the emergency of the highly mutated Omicron variant very disturbing.

My young sister in UK, another in Sweden and my son from Cape Town, South Africa, were planning to join me and my mother in Uganda for the festive season. I had something heart-warming to look forward to since I last saw the three of them at the Christmas of 2019!

With the travel restrictions that have swiftly been put in place, the reunion is not likely to happen this year!

The pandemic has gone on so long that it has somehow eroded my mental wellbeing. I have developed what the psychologists refer to as the illusion of control. This is a tendency to overestimate how much control you have over the outcome of an uncontrollable situation.

My moods have been swinging like a pendulum- one time I feel I have some control of the outcome and another time I feel powerless. I tend to become anxious and more stressed.

I found some encouragement by reading the psychology of surviving in complex situations.

While dealing with challenges in life, the outcome can be controlled by you or external forces

  • If you believe that you have control over what happens, then you have what the psychologists call internal locus control.
  • If you believe you have no control but external causes are to blame, then you have external locus of control.
  • No one can have 100 percent internal or external control in any situation. It is all relative and is in our mind-our thinking.
  • Locus of control influences how we respond to situations that happen in our lives. It motivates us to take action. Without it, we tend to resign to fate and become  passive bystanders.

These factors helped me realise that I still have some level of control over the situation. I should focus on the small things like going in for a booster once advised, sticking to the social distancing and taking good care of my health.

 Doing these things that fit in the big picture, make me feel good about myself and more motivated. Suddenly , I become an active participant that can have an impact on the outcome. It gives me some of my power back and I feel relaxed and less stressed.

One African proverb encourages us to do something however small, in any given situation:

If you cannot fly, run; if you cannot run, walk; if you cannot walk, crawl; but by all means, keep moving.

The psychologists advise us to do a number of things to overcome this illusion of control.

They include:

  1. Try using an outside perspective so that you do not rely on your own thinking. You have to consider credible information from other sources to get a balanced picture.
  2. Think Scientifically- this is the best way to overcome the illusion of control. In the case of COVID-19 pandemic which is yet to go into its third wave, Science and facts from WHO and Min of Health help you make better judgements.
  3. Seek other people’s opinions- knowledgeable people to gain some outside perspective and other factors that you had not thought about.
  4. Be inspired to practice healthy behaviour like regular exercise, healthy eating, regular medical check-ups and having adequate regular sleep – seven to eight hours at night.

I cannot resign that there is nothing that I can do that can make a difference. Let each one of us commit to the goal- controlling the epidemic by investing time and energy in effective, helpful action right where we are.

Dr.Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the World Health Organisation Director- General, wraps it up neatly,

“We’re all in this together. And we can only succeed together.”

“No one is safe until everyone is safe.”

QUESTION:

Do you realise that the global pandemic response to the COVID-19 virus begins with you in your home?

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LEARNING, UNLEARNING AND RELEARNING EVERY DAY.

Digital technology has radically changed how we do things  in recent decades. Then out of the blue came COVID-19 respiratory infection which itself has changed  almost all aspects of our lives. For almost two years we have all been condemned to staying at home in our effort to reduce contact with people and reduce the spread of the infection. Two years is a very long time be it in politics, football and in  just simple ordinary lives.

It is now clear to most of us that somehow life and business have to continue as much as possible during the pandemic.

Thankfully, digital technology has enabled us to come up with new ways of doing business, of how we work, how we trade and how we learn. Some of these services were there pre-COVID-19 but the pandemic has pushed them to the fore front.  This demands that we all strive to raise our technical literacy to operate in this new environment.

Alvin Toffler (1928-2016) an American writer, futurist and businessman once said:

“The illiterates of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.”

He was warning businesses about accepting and adapting to the dynamic digital transformation to thrive.

I would say that the warning remains equally relevant to each one of us if we are to make use of the fast changing digital technology. Each generation of technology is better than the last.

I for one have chosen to empty myself of what I know so as to be able to learn more for as long as I am able.

 Here are some examples of how technology has enabled me and many others to live some form of normal life during these times of the pandemic lockdowns and quarantines.

  • Connectivity- man is a social animal that thrives best in a group or in contact with others. The lockdown and quarantines continue to threaten this essential element. But then it becomes a “catch- 22 situation”- you have to be alive to enjoy communication with others. Access to the internet enables us to make calls almost anywhere in the world. I can make video calls, online chats, text, and arrange for Zoom meetings with family, friends and colleagues.

I have been attending virtually the 10 am church service at my local church regularly. I have attended many virtual funeral services and burials for family and friends. I have attended weddings too. At the end of it all, I am thankful that somehow I have been part of the function during these times of social distancing.

  • Online shopping- Pre-COVID, I had bought a few things online in Botswana.The conservative in me always preferred that I saw things and even touched them. In  the middle of the last lockdown last year, my phone broke down. Having been away for some decades I am yet to familiarise myself with what is available on the market be it a set of saucepans or knives. I had to buy a new phone to stay in contact with family and friends.

I had heard of Jumia– the largest online retail store in Uganda but had never used its services. I checked it out , then consulted my two sons about the type of phone to buy. Satisfied, I paid for it and had it delivered by a masked courier a day later. My communication lifeline has since then remained open and fully functional. My daughter passed on to me her “old faithful” boda boda courier to help me with grocery shopping and delivery services. He has proved to be reliable and punctual. The mobile phone remains our main way of communication

  • Remote learning- Pre-COVID, I was attending some writers’ webinars to hone my writing skills. Stuck in our homes, we have a lot of time to ourselves. The webinars have increased and can be tailored to one’s needs.

 Many of my young relatives are at university. they have been able to continue with their studies through online schooling. Unfortunately, the same approach cannot be used in primary and secondary education as the majority of students live in the rural areas and have no internet access. The COVID-19 crisis has drawn attention to this big gap between the unconnected and the urban connected.

  • Remote working- as life and business have to continue during these social distancing times, many young relatives working as bankers, lawyers, engineers work from home. Among the challenges they face is the low internet capacity and slow speed.

For those working in the health care sectors, they still have to report in person as digital health care solutions are extremely limited in a developing country like mine.

I stopped taking things for granted and learned to be more grateful for what I have. During these times of lockdown and quarantine, I greatly appreciate how digital technology if not abused, makes our lives easy and faster. Much of what the digital world offers can be accessed for free. Digital technology has kept us connected, informed, educated, entertained and allowed us to share our stories.

Life could have been worse without it. Technology continues to change,to make the changes less threatening, each generation is better than the last. I shudder to imagine the new high end technology that has already started flowing in and how our physical world would have been improved three years from now.

 The Onus is on us, to become responsible users- engaging with it safely, respectfully and ethically   while at the same time opening ourselves up to learn new things, unlearn and relearn. The digital world has a lot of promise.

QUESTION: How is the cell phone and internet access enabling you to live some form of normal life during these times of lockdown and quarantine?

I NEED TRUCKLOADS OF IT

Women in a remote nomadic settlement in Kenya. Happily waiting out their turns. Photo by Ian Macharia of Unsplash .com

We are in the nineteen month of the COVID-19 global pandemic and have watched in horror as a health crisis turned into an economic crisis. There is a lot of fear, anxiety, uncertainty and confusion and yet time never stops. Man is by nature a social animal and will most times seek escape from any confinement. The COVID-19 pandemic has condemned us to staying home.

We are in this together and each one of us has to look from within to find something to cling to and move forward within the confines of the pandemic.

I for one would have been greatly depressed if I did not have my faith to cling to . Faith gives me the hope I need to look to the future. From the way things are going and at the rate at which they are moving, I have found myself in great need of another attribute: discipline.

The online Oxford Learner’s dictionary defines discipline  as: a method of training your mind or body or of controlling your behavior.

Self- discipline-the ability to control yourself or work hard without relying on others to tell you what to do so or what is important.

The psychologists tell us that discipline brings stability and structure to our lives enabling us to live in harmony with others. It teaches a person to be responsible and respectful. It promotes good human behaviour and makes society more enjoyable and a place for everyone to live.

We have to exert discipline on a daily basis to create harmony. A lack of discipline results into chaos.

Successful people tend to be highly self- disciplined. Success and self- discipline go hand in hand.

We start developing discipline in our childhood while guided by our parents, teachers, mentors and sponsors  and this continues throughout one’s lifetime.

In today’s Digital world , there are so many distractions around us like Social media, mobile phones and the internet.  Having your goals in mind, self-discipline will help you focus on the most essential in your life. Discipline enables each one of us to get the right things done while at the same time becoming the best ” you”.

During this long period of uncertainty, I have come to understand that I needed discipline more than I have ever needed in my life.

Discipline helps each one of us to focus and to reduce stress as we take care of what needs to be done.

At this moment in time, I need truckloads  of it if I have to develop the patience to wait out the pandemic – as things slowly return as close to normalcy as possible. Time has not stopped during the COVID-19 restrictions/confines so the best way to move forward is to adapt to the main changes and survive.

  • I need the discipline to wake up on time, make my bed and to open my mind and heart to the new possibilities of the day.
  •  To make the tough decisions  like making my will and act on them.
  •  To follow consistently the Public health Standard Operative Procedures ,keeping myself and others safe. As long as the COVID-19 virus remains a threat to our wellbeing and our communities have not yet reached herd immunity through the infection and vaccination, we cannot relax.
  • To ensure that myself and those I love are fully vaccinated and have received their vaccination certificates.
  • To work on my goals every day despite the COVID-19 restrictions.
  • To self –care so that I can stay physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually healthy. This can be done by eating a healthy balanced diet, not smoking or abusing alcohol or drugs, taking regular exercises every day, having adequate regular sleep of 7-8 hours at night, taking regular medical check-ups and staying connected to loved ones and friends every day.
  • To live my values despite the stress and anxiety. Spending the day living a relatively normal life within the confines of the pandemic.

None of us can imagine what life would be like after the pandemic but it will come.

Unlike the generation that suffered the Spanish Influenza Epidemic of 1918, our generation should be grateful for the immense advances in science, medicine and technology. They have made it possible to quickly identify the virus , develop a vaccine to it  and some forms of symptomatic treatment. Those of 1918 did not even know the microbe that was causing the influenza as the electron microscope was yet to be invented(1931). Like them , physical distancing/ social distancing still remains our most effective response.

Until life returns to a new normal, it cannot be business-as –usual. Let us  all develop the discipline to rise up and take up our roles in bringing the pandemic to an end.

I have compiled some quotes about discipline to encourage you and I along this long journey.

”The most powerful control we can ever attain is to be in control of ourselves.’’- Chis Page

”It’s not the work that’s hard, it’s the discipline.’’ Anonymous

”Life without discipline is like a ship without a rudder.’’– Ronie Mathew Thomas

”Once you have the commitment, you need the discipline and hard work to get you there. ‘’– Haile Gebrselassie

”Circumstances are beyond human control  but our control  is in  in our own power.’’- Benjamin Disraeli

”The more disciplined you become, the easier life gets.’’ – Stein  Pavlina

”A disciplined mind leads to happiness, and an undisciplined mind leads to suffering.’’- Dalai Lama X1V

”Rule your mind or it will rule you.’’- Horace

”For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories.’’- Plato

”I am, indeed, a king, because I know how to rule myself.’’– Pietro Aretino

”It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken away from you, nor by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.’’– Buddha

” If everything seems under control, you’re just not going fast enough.’’- Mario Andrette

”Without hard work and discipline, it is difficult to be a top professional.’’ – Jahangir Khan

Self-discipline: ”The road may be hard but the results are priceless.’’– Unknown

”What lies in our power to do, lies in our power not to do.’’- Aristole

”Self-discipline is that which , next to virtue, truly and essentially raises one man above another.’’- Joseph Addison

QUESTION:

How have the nineteen months of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions eroded your discipline to plan and implement thing?

The Brain Function : Use it or Lose It

Learning new things like a skill challenges the brain and opens up new connections between the right and left parts of the brain.

It is now nineteen months since World Health Organisation(WHO) declared the COVID-19 respiratory disease a global pandemic. Unfortunately, this COVID-19 crisis shows no signs of going away. A few countries like Demark, Norway and Sweden have started easing the pandemic restrictions following a three-phased plan. This has become possible after achieving nearly 75 percent of their population fully immunised.

For the developing countries like mine, where full immunisation is less than five percent, we are still depending on the Standard Operative Procedures(SOPs) for preventing transmission of the virus as set out by the WHO:
• Frequent washing of the hands using alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
• Proper use of face masks.
• Physical distancing- allowing at least two metres between you and other people.
• Limiting social gatherings and time spent in crowded places.
• Avoiding close contact with other people – no hugging or shaking hands.

The pandemic has gone on for so long that the majority of us have started suffering from the effects of isolation: some form of anxiety and depression. Isolation is affecting our brain health. None of us had gone through such an experience in the past so we are all learning as we go along. It is vital that we promote brain health and wellness during this COVID -19 crisis otherwise we shall find it extremely difficult to cope when something like normal life returns.

The brain which controls everything below it is like a muscle: it has to be exercised every day or else it gradually loses its function.
I covered how each one of us can keep her/his brain functional as an integral part of general wellbeing, in the post of 15th October 2020: USE IT OR LOSE IT. I am therefore reposting it here because of its relevancy and usefulness.

Brain function is one of those things that deteriorate as one grows old.  Watching my octogenarian mother struggle  to play with the Rubik cube box, requiring skill and determination, made me think more about the age-related deterioration of brain function. One renown expert , Dr. Michael Merzenich  Ph.D. of Scientific Learning Corporation in Oakland , California has made numerous studies  on brain function. He tells us that this age-related functional decline can be reversed or be slowed down by engaging into mentally demanding activities. The mentally demanding activities include reading, solving hard crossword puzzles and playing brain games. They stimulate and challenge the brain unlike the simple mundane ones like walking to the neighbour’s or performing any task routinely. 

He also informs us that by the age of 40, most of us are largely using the abilities we acquired early in life. We could be said to be operating in ‘automated pilot’ mode. We are doing things without being consciously engaged in what we are doing. As a result, gradually the brain function begins to slowly deteriorate. We become slow in action and slow in making decisions.

He reassures that we can reverse this functional decline by appropriate stimulation of the brain with new challenges. He therefore recommends  that each one of us should engage in new learning all our lives by picking new hobbies or learning new skills altogether. The best is any activity that engages all your five senses and imagination.

 After the age of fifty, it is essential that we maintain and improve brain function simply by keeping it mentally active. An active brain is a healthy brain. We do not have to wait to grow old to start playing the recommended mentally demanding activities; the earlier we start the better.

Proverbs 19 verse 27 warns us that :  If you stop learning, you will forget what you already know.

I for one have started seeing the changes in bits and pieces: how fast I remember names, how fast I make decisions but have found the following activities extremely useful:

  • Reading- I have been a voracious reader since the age of six. I read for fun then read for knowledge.

As a medical doctor I read a lot to acquire new knowledge, to remember what I already know but in my leisure time I read for fun. The Internet has increased access to reading materials to many of us.

I also make time to read my Bible every morning.

I can say that this is the best time to be an avid reader. Reading helps me to concentrate, and engages my brain fully as I follow the characters through the story. It also improves my fluency in the language.

  • Writing- I would have cheated the literary world if I just read others’ books or blogs all this long.

I had to contribute to something which has given me so much joy and knowledge. I have published two fiction novels, several short stories and I am working on several of them at the moment. I have been running a personal blog since October 2016. I wanted to share my wealth of experiences and impact other people’s lives for the better.

I always research what I write about so this opens me up for more reading and acquisition of knowledge. I have made lifelong learning a priority. Posting articles regularly on my personal blog teaches me the discipline of remaining consistent.

As I write, I am fully engaged and my mind is taken off everyday worries. I am alone with myself so it helps me to decompress and unwind too.

  • Crossword Puzzles- I usually solve the crossword puzzles in the daily newspapers that I read and those in the magazines I buy regularly. I have been doing this for a long time but while researching about crosswords I noted with great interest that the first crossword puzzle was published in the New York World newspaper in December 1913!

As I try to solve the puzzle, I am fully engaged and focused on what I am doing. The hardest puzzles are the most engaging and challenging. Completing such a crossword puzzle gives me a sense of satisfaction. The feeling causes the brain to release the ‘feel good factor’ known as Dopamine , in several areas in the brain. It is the Dopamine which makes us happy and motivated as we go through life. Small jobs and achievements throughout the week naturally keep up my Dopamine levels. Low levels of Dopamine are associated with feelings of apathy, depression and low energy.

Of late I am trying to solve the number puzzle called SUDOKU, it is based on 9by 9 grid and MUDOKU, based on a 16 by 16 grid. It  exercises my brain immensely and has improved my memory and my number skills. Such puzzles open up new connections in the brain; making it more active.

Dr. Merzenich‘s team of top scientists has developed some brain games to improve the brain function.  You can look them up at BrainHQ. Playing them regularly sharpens the brain and as a result you think faster, focus better and remember more. Who would not want to remember more? I am at the beginner’s level but just like any learned skill, the more you practice, the better you become.

Next time I have a full house, I will dust off Chess,the board game. It is an engaging game that demands total concentration and intense focus. It tests your memory too.

The pandemic has brought online activities like teaching, webinars to the forefront. These are intellectually challenging.

Regular, quality sleep is most essential for brain health. Good sleep improves concentration and productivity and enhances memory.

Mark Twain said: “When I was younger, I could remember anything, whether it had happened or not.’’

And Thomas Fuller said:   “We all  forget, more than we remember.”

QUESTION:

How fast are you at making decisions or remembering things?

Has this post helped you to see the need for keeping your brain active during the COVID-19 restrictions and thereafter?

AND IN THE END IT’S NOT THE YEARS……..

Makula with her dad in Papua New Guinea

Thanks to the Internet; our graduate class has reached out to one another and formed a strong fraternity. The seeds were sown decades ago during our five years in the medical school during Idi Amin ‘s reign of terror, 1971-1979. To survive and thrive, we became each other’s keeper. These strong bonds are still intact and are being fully exploited. Recently, we came up with a project to give back to the Makerere medical school that shaped us. We are ordinary doctors but we chose to buy 108 Research desks for the new extension of the Post Graduate section of the Sir Albert Cook Medical Library, established in 1924. Slowly but surely, things are falling in place.

Come March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic descended on us and is showing no signs of going away any time soon.

We are now all 65+ and fall under the senior citizens bracket of our population. Sadly, we have lost two of our best: Dr. David Sennoga, a veteran paediatrician of Durban, South Africa and Dr. Sam Mutumba, a paediatric Surgeon, to COVID. The deaths left us rather helpless.

 Due to the civil strife of the 70s and the fact that our Class was the last one to admit international students, we are scattered in several countries: Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, Botswana, USA, Canada and Australia.

We were still struggling to come to terms with the deaths of our colleagues, relatives and friends, when our colleague: Dr.Sekkade Kiyingi of Brisbane, Australia lost his daughter, Makula(gorgeous)) to cancer of the bowel on the 7 th August 2021.

Makula was only thirty-four years old! She was in a specialised paediatric training programme.

Her elder brother, Kulumba, described her as a kind, ever smiling doctor, radiating positivity and optimism. She enriched the lives of all those around her.

 She had a brave heart and a strong spirit and these carried her through the six years of fighting the cancer. She had fierce loyalty and protectiveness of those she loved.

Makula as a teenager. She loved life and had a good sense of humour.

I cannot begin to understand what the Kiyingis have been going through but I have seen my elderly mother almost go to pieces after losing her youngest child to cancer of the breast, four years ago. If she had her way, she would have willingly chosen to die and let her daughter live.

On Saturday 21 st August 2021, I was woken up by the alarm clock just before 5am local time to attend Makula’s funeral at 12 noon Brisbane time. I just felt that I had to be a part of the ceremony for my own ‘closure’.

Over seventy mourners gathered at the Belgian Gardens cemetery to send off our Makula Agnes Nabbosa of the Ndiga/sheep clan. There were several young women of Makula’s age , reflecting on Makula’s character; a leader and a friend to many. There were many of our age group- parents mourning the passing of one of their children. The gem in this somber mood was seeing my young sister Juliet and her husband John among the mourners. They have lived in Perth for over thirty years and had become like a brother and a sister to the Kiyigis. They had flown in two days earlier to console their friends. It was comforting to see a few women dressed in our traditional wear.

Half way through the Mass, Dr. Sekkade Kiyingi was given an opportunity to talk to the mourners. He stood up tall in a dark green African print shirt over black trousers and in a clear voice gave a brief tribute to their daughter then thanked all the mourners wherever they were for joining them at their daughter’s final farewell.

In my heart of hearts, I was crying as a bereaved parent- In Africa, a child is raised by the whole village. I was crying for all the potential buried with her.

It was sunny but so windy that the flowers on the coffin were bending in it. The coffin was then placed in a vault and the mourners were invited to place a few flower petals at the rear. The burial was over in twenty-five minutes! Life goes on for the living.

Instantly I remembered Abraham Lincoln’s quote: ” And in the end it’s not the years in your life that count; it’s the life in your years.’’

Makula in her short life had lived a life of meaning and purpose. She had lived a full life. Having lived a life of purpose had created passion and made her effective as an individual. She had lived with hope till the end.

I left the virtual funeral happy that she had rested from the pain and suffering but at the same time, her inner beauty- looking out for the beauty in each individual had enhanced her external beauty to her family, friends and colleagues.  It was her inner beauty that had given her the confidence to be herself. This was a life well lived.

I spent the day thinking about death and life.

Kahlil Gibran ,the renowned Lebanese- American philosopher once said:

”LIFE IS A TEAR AND A SMILE.”  He knew that it was the tears that made us more human.

He also believed that life and death were essentially two sides of the same coin. There is no life without death- accepting your mortality helps you to live a meaningful life and to enjoy your life more.

I for one accepted my mortality twenty-three years ago when I was involved a nearly fatal accident. Since then, I have learned to live as a person deserving that second chance at life.

At my age, I know with absolute clarity that I have lived more than three quarters of my life. This has made life so valuable to me. It has given my life a deadline so I have stopped procrastinating instead I just get on with things. I have had to reorder my life by getting my priorities in life right: relationships and my character. I devote 80 percent of my time on these two and they have given great meaning to my life. I have learned to use my life for something good for myself and others. I have also learned to take joy in all the small things that each day offers.

Comparing now and fifteen years ago, I am doing less and yet it translates into more done because I am focused and therefore more effective and productive. After all I am human; I cannot do everything.

The greatest tragedy in life is not death but living a life without purpose and not living a life you want for yourself. The latter leaves you with a lot of regrets in life.

This quote by Myles Monroe says it all: ”The wealthiest places in the world are not gold mines, oil fields, diamond mines or banks. The wealthiest place is the cemetery. There live companies that were never started, masterpieces that were never painted. In the cemetery are buried the greatest treasures of untapped potential. There is a treasure within you that must come out. Don’t go to the grave with your treasure still within YOU.”

Bronnie Ware, an Australian nurse who worked for several years with terminal care patients observed the top five regrets of the dying. They include the following:

  1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. Many dreams were unfulfilled because the person feared to make certain choices or left it too late.
  2. I wish I had not worked so hard– many missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship because they failed to balance work and family.
  3. I wish I ‘d had the courage to express my feelings– many had suppressed their own feelings to keep peace with others.  They lived mediocre lives. At the end they carried a lot of bitterness and resentment.
  4. I wish I had stayed in contact with my friends– many got so wrapped up in their own lives and let the golden friendships slip by over the years. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.
  5. I wish that I had let myself be happier– happiness is a choice but many of these people had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits and forgot how to look for laughter, fun and adventure in their lives.

We all have our regrets at this point in our lives, but it is never too late to change and have a happy ending. Arise, play and dance to the music of life.

 If I picked anything from Makula’s short life it is : Absolute clarity about life gives you focus and purpose and that we all need hope to cope.

Rest in eternal peace, our beloved Makula. May God give the family the strength, courage and inner peace they need to go on with their lives.

WHAT I HAVE BEEN READING LATELY

World Health Organisation (WHO) declared the COVID- 19 Respiratory Disease a global pandemic on the 11 th March 2020.  It is now exactly seventeen months into the pandemic.  The virus is continuing to rage havoc in all countries; each one of us has either been affected or infected by it or both.

 As of the 18 th August 2021, data from the Johns Hopkins Corona Virus Resource centre shows:

Global confirmed cases –   208,653,614

Global Deaths –                        4,383,333

Uganda:

Confirmed case –                    97,186 (No access to mass testing)

Deaths                                          2, 905

Vaccine Tracking:

1, 167,733 doses administered in Uganda

4, 129  fully vaccinated ( 2 doses of Astra Zeneca vaccine) making up 0.01% of the population.

To reach Herd Immunity in any community, 60-70% of its population have to be fully vaccinated.

As the pandemic rages on, many of us have been driven into some degree of anxiety or depression because of the uncertainty and not knowing when it will end.

One thing is for sure: Life goes on. Time and tide wait for no man so says an old adage. Definitely, we have to become more innovative and creative in finding ways to continue with our lives amidst the pandemic. No more excuses for remaining inactive.

The best place to start is where we are: in our homes.

I have been reading widely about strategies for coping in a situation that you have no control over.

One American psychologist, Jessica Gold, Assistant Professor of psychology at Washington University of Medicine, gives us three main coping strategies. We should practice them daily so as to get better.

They include:

  • Being in the present moment, or the here and now. Intentionally being fully engaged in what is happening at that very moment; not distracted by ruminations of the past or worries of the future.
  • Open up to feelings and uncertainty. What you do not talk about can kill you. Accept what you cannot change and change what you are able to change. This is where the SERENITY prayer attributed to a German-American theologian named Reinhola Neibuhr(1892-1971) comes in handy.

God give us the grace to accept with serenity the things that cannot be changed,

 courage to change the things that should be changed,

 and the wisdom to distinguish the one from the other.

  • Focus on who is most important and what is most important in your life. Devote your time , efforts and energy on these.

Having these strategies in mind, I have been taking one day at a time. Having a lot of time to myself, I have focused on honing my writing skills by reading many books and writing several short stories.

I want to share with you, a few of the books that I have been reading lately.

THE CANE PRIZE FOR AFRICAN WRITING 2010 and 2012

These are collections of short-listed short stories from Africa and some other ones written by emerging African writers at workshops sponsored mainly by the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust.

Each book has seventeen such stories of different genres from different African countries . The stories transport you to the authors’ countries of origin; whetting your appetite for more reads. Countries like Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania are yet to make themselves visible at the Caine Prize For African Writing.

I would recommend these great reads to you since they offer short forms of fiction that give you a lot of expectations and excitement. You visit several African countries in the writers’ eyes. Finishing one story excites you to read the next one. Quick reads which offer a fast way of completing a story. You will feel that you have accomplished something.

For the writers like me, reading such books offers you many genres which give you ideas for your writing. They introduce you to emerging writers to look out for on the continent. I have read enough of them to try writing one for 2022.

Life Beyond Measure/ LETTERS TO MY GREAT- GRAND DAUGHTER

Most of us who are 50+ know Sidney Poitier the icon film star who later became a film director but is now retired. He was the first black man to win an Academy Award in 1964. You must have seen him in any of these unforgettable films: Lilies of the Field (1963), Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, To Sir, With Love, and in the 1997 movie Mandela and De Klerk where he played the icon Mandela.

Life Beyond Measure/ LETTERS TO MY GREAT- GRAND DAUGHTER is not an ordinary Memoir but it is 23 letters written to his first great- granddaughter, AYELE, born on 21 December 2005. These twenty-three letters are life’s lessons as experienced by Sydney Poitier. His goal was to help Ayele and others that were to follow her to experience Poitier’s life and connect to their lineage. He starts with his childhood on Cat Island, Nassau, Bahamas and goes on to capture memories and moments as he savours his life.

Sidney was born prematurely in Miami, Florida, where his peasant parents had gone to sell their harvest of tomatoes. When he was 15 years of age, his father noticed that Sidney had an impulsive risk trait that was likely to lead him into committing crimes so he sent him to Miami, Florida, to live with his eldest brother. He was trying to save him from himself in a place with limited opportunities and choices.

At that age, he was most fascinated by seeing his face in a wall mirror in a shop in Miami!

Circumstances forced him to move to New York and fend for himself. He became a dishwasher. Thankfully, he met a Jew dishwasher to whom he confessed that he could not read well! The friend offered to teach him how to read in between their chores. This friend unknowingly turned Sidney into an actor. Later he tried to audition with a member of the American Negro Theatre and was sent away as he had neither talent nor skills. This motivated him to become an actor. Applying logic and reason, he succeeded in becoming an actor in this hostile environment. As they say the rest is history. In 2001 he was awarded an Honorary Award as the most respected actor of his time. He is now 93 years old and remains strongly attached to his environment at home in Bahamas.

This is a unique memoir which will inspire many people to aspire for greatness while documenting their struggles and successes along the way. Each one of us is unique and each story told, has so much power to impact others. It is one of the most exciting and revealing memoirs that I have read and would recommend it to you too.

ARIEL SHARON: An autobiography of the Warrior.

Ariel Sharon (1928- 2014) was Israel’s most famous soldier who rose to become Israel’s 11 th Prime Minister (2001-2006)

Born to Russian Immigrant farmers in Israel in 1928, from the age of 15 participated in all major wars in Israel. Close to 60 years, he was at the forefront of events in Israel. He was admired and hated but not in equal measure. His military achievements and political policies were often considered controversial.

As a soldier, he served in the Israel army from its inception in 1948 until he retired in the late 90s. After retirement he went back to farming but remained as a reserve commander. He was the most daring and successful Commander in Israel; uncompromising, ruthless but commanded respect and love of his troops. He considered the security of Israel’s borders paramount to living a normal life in Israel.

As a politician he was considered a hardliner and always walked in a minefield of intrigue and backstabbing.

This most decorated warrior had a soft side too:  a husband and a father.

He shares their struggle to have children but later they had two sons with his second wife, Lily.

His first wife, Margalit died in in a car accident then he married her sister in 1963.

 In 1967, they lost their first son, Gur, aged 11 years in a freak accident at home. He was playing with a friend with an old short gun given to him by one of the family friends. Sharon never overcame this loss and always mourned for the potential that was buried with Gur. The loss affected the family more than anything else in their lives.

He always struggled to make time for his family.

As Prime Minister, he was considered as one of the most pragmatic. He remained in this position until he was incapacitated by a massive stroke in January 2006. He died aged eighty- five years in January 2014.

Reading this big book where Sharon candidly tells it all, was like reading the history of the Jewish nation of Israel from 1936 and the selfless men and women who shaped it.

I would greatly recommend it as a remarkable story more so to those who may aspire to become politicians in future.

Whenever I finish reading such remarkable stories, I pause to thank God for my late father and my school teachers for opening up a world of magic and wonder for me. It is inexhaustible and offers rewarding challenges.

Let us keep reading to sharpen our minds and to increase our ability to empathise with other people.

As Lailah Gifty Akita ably put it: ‘’IF YOU WISH TO RENEW YOUR MIND, READ.’’

QUESTION: What books have you been reading lately and why?

THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF LIFE

One moment life may be colourful only to become dark in the next.

I must apologise for taking long without posting articles on this page. I have not been well since April 2021. It has reminded me of the unpredictability of life- one moment I was as fit as a fiddle and then a few days later I was lying in a hospital bed. Generally, medical doctors do not make the best patients due to the reversal of the roles and knowing what they know. We are human too!

What made the situation more complex is that we are in the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and are restricted by the Lockdown. Here in Uganda, the new cases are on the rise and so are the deaths.

From the Johns Hopkins Corona Virus Resource Centre, as of the 30 th July 2021:

Global confirmed cases were 197,462,343 and the Global deaths were 4,211,491

UGANDA as of 30th July 2021:

Confirmed cases were 93, 675- We cannot afford Mass testing.

The deaths were 2,661

Doses of Corona virus vaccine administered were 1,143,763

People fully vaccinated ( received the 2 doses of the Astra Zeneca Corona virus Vaccine)were 4,129

Percentage of the population fully vaccinated were 0.01%

For anyone who is 60+, this is not the best time to be lying in a hospital bed if you can help it.

Thankfully, I am fully vaccinated against the COVID-19 Respiratory Disease, having taken my second dose of Astra Zeneca vaccine in early May. There is still some uncertainty as the virus keeps changing rapidly; forming new variants that spread fast in a community.

Like any other individual, I have continued to lose relatives, friends and colleagues. This has drained me emotionally.

It has been extremely tough on me to fall sick during the Lockdown, my children and friends cannot visit me though we talk regularly on the phone . I miss the direct human connection.

The psychologists tell us that lack of human connection can be more harmful to our health than smoking and high blood pressure. Lack of human connection  causes anxiety and depression. Meaningful human connection helps us regulate our emotions. Once we can regulate our emotions, our self-esteem and empathy increase, making our Immune system function better. A functional Immune system protects us from recurrent infections and reduces our risk to develop cancer.

Within this limited human connection , I have had to make the most of what is available for me:

  • The few loved ones around me
  • Nature
  • Books
  • Communication- video calls and webinars

Exercising out in the  open has its health benefits but it also serves as a distraction from the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic which seems to be unending.

I have had to ‘’slow down and smell the roses’’ as the old adage demands of me.  Spending a lot of time with nature has sharpened my five senses of touch,  sight, hearing, smell and taste. It has also stretched my imagination and made me more creative.

Allow me to share some of the photos that I have taken of the environment around me. I now understand my position in the universe better and my responsibility to conserve and preserve the environment for future generations.

This plant growing in shallow soils has developed buttress roots to keep it stable in the winds blowing from the nearby lake.

Waking up to a lush green view like this wakes up all your senses thus preparing you for the day.

The buttress roots are solid and spiked.

Colour in a garden like this strongly resonates with colour in our souls.

I found these two Japanese proverbs useful and relevant to my situation.

  1. It is the same life whether we spend it laughing or crying.
  2. Be not afraid of going slowly. Be afraid of standing still.   

Last but not least, those who read the Bible know the famous verses in Matthew chapter 6 verse 34 :

‘’So do not worry about tomorrow; it will have enough worries of its own. There is no need to add to the troubles which each day brings.’’

I have learned to live one day at a time; savoring each moment and making the most of it. It has helped to reduce the stress in my life thus increasing my physical, mental and emotional well-being during these uncertain times.

QUESTION :

Has the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic uncertainty taught you to invest in the Present- cherishing what you have in that moment in time?      

REMAINING HOPEFUL IN A DIRE SITUATION

A Sunrise symbolises birth and rebirth. New beginnings, new challenges and new possibilities. It gives us hope for a better day.

The invention of the Internet shrank the world into a global village. On the 7th April 2021 when I read from the Johns Hopkins Corona Virus Resource centre that Brazil had suffered 4000 deaths in 24 hours, a cold shudder went down my spine. Brazil has a new more virulent strain that runs a short clinical course than the original one. It has affected the youth in big numbers. Many video clips  of elderly parents wailing after the deaths of their children are making rounds on the Social Media. Their echoes keep ringing in my ears. The crisis is compounded by the country President’s continued rejection of public health restrictions such as mask-wearing, physical distancing and lockdowns. As a health worker , I have always believed that the greatest asset for each country is its people and these people must be healthy first to engage in economic activities and the growth of their country. 

This has reminded me of the period of the peak of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Botswana in the late 90s.  The president then- Festus Mogae, made this bold statement: ” Botswana was threatened with extinction.”

Thereafter, he made HIV/AIDS a national priority and launched   Botswana’s Mass Antiretroval Therapy Programme- MASA( New Dawn) in 2002.  I was working there and was very privileged to be part of this comprehensive programme. With such a committed leader and a stable democratic government, we saw a dramatic drop in AIDS-related deaths from 21,000 in 2002 to 5,800 in 2013. The decline in numbers was sustained for the following years. There were many challenges but the results fired us to work even harder to overcome them.

The COVID-19 virus is not going anywhere anytime soon. This demands that wherever we are, we have to triple our efforts to fight it. Currently, USA, Brazil, India and Mexico are the countries most hit by the virus.

From the Johns Hopkins Corona Virus Resource Centre, as of the 20th April 2021,

There were 142,965,975 global confirmed cases and 3,044,492 global deaths.

Brazil had 14,043,076 confirmed cases and 378,003 deaths.

South Africa had 1,568,366 confirmed cases and 53,887 deaths.

Some encouraging news came in from Israel last week. Israel has had half of its adult population vaccinated fully against Covid-19 disease. As a result, the number of new cases and the number of patients developing the severe form of the disease has declined. They seem to have put themselves on the path of herd immunity by this campaign of massive vaccination.

The majority of us feel that the pandemic has gone on for so long that we have started suffering from Caution fatigue or  COVID-related fatigue. The fatigue is affecting our physical and emotional wellbeing.

 However, the numerous deaths happening around us during the third wave of the pandemic, prompt us not to relax until the transmission is reduced to the lowest level possible worldwide. This echoes what Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the Director- General of the World Health Organisation, has been telling us all along:” We are not safe until everyone is safe.”

 The vaccine offers us hope for attaining herd immunity but the public health measures of:

  • Frequent washing of hands using alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water
  • Proper use of Face masks
  • Physical distancing- maintaining 2 metres between you and other people.
  • Limiting social gatherings and time spent in crowded places.
  • Avoiding close contact with other people- no hugging, no shaking of hands.

These measures are still in place to reduce the transmission of the virus in our communities. Prevention is better than cure more so with this Covid-19 infection in the 60 plus groups of any population.

Here are some inspiring quotes to keep us going in this state of confusion, caution fatigue and uncertainty.

” If there is life, there is hope.’’ – Stephen Hawky

” A little hope each day can fill rivers to overflowing. ”- Unknown

” Once you choose hope, anything’s possible.’’- Christopher Reeve

” And sometimes, against all odds, against all logic, we still hope.’’- Ellen Pompeo as Dr. Meredith Grey

If the rhythm of the drum beat changes, then the dancer’s steps must adapt. – Kenyan Proverb

The best way to eat an elephant in your path is to cut her up into little pieces .- African Proverb.

”The sun never quits shining. Sometimes , clouds just get in the way.’’– Unknown

”The forces that are for you are greater than the forces against you.’’– Joel Osteen

For those of us who have lost loved ones to the COVID-19 disease and are grieving, find a little comfort in the following:

”We grieve because we love. The intensity of the grief often proclaims the depth of our love.’’- Gary Roe

One of my favourites over the years: FOOTPRINTS IN THE SANDS by Mary Fishback Powers

One night I dreamed a dream.

As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.

Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.

For each scene, I noticed  two sets of footprints in the sand,

One belonging to me and one to my Lord.

After the last scene of my life flashed before me,

I looked back at the footprints in the sand.

I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,

especially at the very lowest and saddest times,

there was only one set of footprints.

This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.

” Lord you said once I decided to follow you,

You’d walk with me all the way.

But I noticed that during the saddest

 and most troublesome times of my life,

 there was only one set of footprints.

I don’t understand why, when I needed You

the most, You would leave me.’’

He whispered, ” My precious child, I love you and will never leave you

Never, ever, during your trials and testings.

When you saw only one set of footprints,

It was then that I carried you.’’

Other than allowing ourselves to feel overwhelmed and distressed, let us re-evaluate the meaning of life and pick valuable lessons from this Covid-19 health/economic crisis. It will help our spirits grow stronger.

QUESTION:

How often do you count your blessings during this dire situation?

Has it helped you realise that things could be worse off?