It was a quiet day on January 9th. People were eating food, talking about their lives, laughing at funny stories, smiling at the little things in life… Dogs chased frisbees in the park, teens held wild parties, and businessmen drove to their little cubicles, each awaiting what the next day would bring. Nobody was the wiser that a world changing pandemic was about to rear its head in a terrible fashion. The next day, everything collapsed. The COVID-19 pandemic had erupted in Wuhan, China, and began spreading like wildfire among the general populace. From China to America, countries began collapsing in on themselves in panic. Businesses closed forever as schools sadly shut their doors. And as the virus spread on and on, people began questioning its origins and reasons for existing. Was it good? Was it bad? Who was to blame? Was there even anyone to blame? 

Some saw the pandemic as a punishment on the world, lamenting the great loss of life and wallowing in their sorrows. Day by day, the casualties mounted as the world’s best minds raced against the virus to find a cure. Eventually, a vaccine was found, and the spread of the pathogen slowed. We became used to a COVID-filled world. We got accustomed to seeing masks on people’s faces and hand sanitizer in every room. The world would never be the same. 

Indeed, the COVID outbreak took many lives, tore families apart, and ruined businesses forever. Such a fact is undeniable in of itself. But the virus also opened up our eyes to new strengths- and weaknesses- that we never realized that we had. For one, we saw our so-called prized healthcare systems collapse. America was supposed to possess a strong medical system (albeit an expensive one). The opposite turned out to be true: it was not that our healthcare systems and capacities were unassailable in of themselves; rather, it was that they had never faced a threat great enough to strain their forces. Across the US, hospitals stopped responding to calls for help, advising the patients to recover at home instead due to their overflowing sick bays. Thousands died because of their inability to receive such medical care, and more lost their faith in our country’s ability to deal with such threats in the future. 

Our weaknesses were not limited to our medical institutions, however. COVID also exposed the weaknesses in each and every one of the people during its time. One prime example would be why the virus spread so quickly. One would think that, knowing of the existence of such a contagious virus, people would be more careful. As it was, however, our population refused to enforce the proper safety protocols and subsequently fell sick and died. Anti-maskers, anti-vaxxers, and more popped out of their hidey-holes to denounce the methods of keeping everyone safe, and instead chose to harm not only themselves, but also other people. Some people even chose to blame the virus on others, revealing that the racist mindsets of past ages had not had their flame extinguished yet. Anti-Asian hate was at an all time high, with Asian owned businesses being broken into, stolen from, and even having their owners shot. 

Aside from human weaknesses, we also found holes in our business models and flexibility. Not many companies and businesses had developed ways to thrive even in a virus-stricken world, so they began collapsing due to their overreliance on hands-on work. One thing that can be said, though, is that we have at least adapted to this weakness rather well. Many businesses began to incorporate virtual or hands-free ways of selling their products, and many workplaces vowed to invest more in their cleaning and safety teams. Schools stocked up on masks, tissues, and hand sanitizer as households began washing their hands more frequently and carefully. So, despite the weaknesses that we suffered, it can be said that then natural adaptability of humans overcame some of these eventually, leading to the new world in which we live in today.

All in all, the COVID 19-pandemic, while seen as a terrible tragedy, was also crucial in showing us the inherent weaknesses which lie in our society, unknown, yet present. Of course, the loss of life and failures of thousands of businesses was not a positive thing; rather, it is just essential to see both sides of the coin. Important lessons follow every twist and turn that life throws at us, from the smallest setbacks to the largest tragedies. As humans, we can either dwell on the negative feelings that ensue from such happenings, or deal with our own emotions and then use the experiences as something positive that helps build a brighter future for everyone. As the saying goes, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”.