Some thoughts on... Seeing the Horizon

As we approach graduation week for many students, I was speaking with a Columbia colleague about her family.  She was worried about her father who was working in a hospital.  But because of the reduced pollution, while he was driving to work these days he could actually see the horizon.

Covid-19 has forced us to isolate and to be more alone, and to be more reflective.  But could it also take a pandemic to make us notice the expansive, beauty of the world around us?

Individually, we all have moments of personal introspection – when we fall sick, when a family members dies, when we accomplish a life goal.  At these points, we are more open to possibilities.  We reconsider life decisions.  We rouse to see a world of opportunity outside of the narrow lanes in which we live.  Sometimes we act on this promising set of alternatives – exercise more, spend time with loved ones, change careers.  Sometimes we don’t.

These moments of global rousing are less common and happen every few decades -  the moon landing, 9/11. We could view them as an opportunity to rethink our societal options.  Similar to personal introspection, we can’t reverse the course of what is happening, i.e., turn back the clock on the virus.  Instead we can commit to making changes. 

Perhaps this bout of global rousing will provide collective clarity on our options going forward.  Here are three thorny issues I am thinking about – feeding hungry people despite a glut in food production, ensuring people are allowed to vote in the upcoming US elections, protecting economically vulnerable communities. 

Usually it’s darkest right before the dawn – and at that point you can see the horizon most clearly.

Please do forward any interesting articles you are reading.