COVID-19 Story: Staying Positive in the Midst of Precariousness of Life

An insight on COVID-19 by Armigenia O. Benedicto, Ph.D.

When both the national and local government units made the pronouncement to implement the home community quarantine (HCQ) in the middle of March, students and senior citizens (I’m one of them) were in total lockdown – no going out of residence; not qualified to avail of the HQC pass.

Then everyday news in quad-media continues to announce the rising cases of those affected and died due to COVID-19, especially in countries that are considered to be highly developed. The first question that came to my mind was: Why is this happening that even the progressive nations were down in their knees in front of this pandemic?

The enemy is invisible, and no weapon (in terms of medicine/vaccine) is yet available to combat its contamination. Anxiety crept into me fully aware of the uncertainty when will this pandemic ends and what the future brings after this. Is this already the result of man’s irresponsibility in taking care of God’s creation? Is this the way God wanted to awaken the conscience of humanity and go back to Him in humility?

All these questions were vividly answered one by one by the author of life, and I thank God that, in my daily prayers and meditations, He gives me the assurance that calms my fears. I came to realize the precariousness of life – nothing is sure; nothing can secure experience even if you have all the material possessions and power in this world.

Having this realization, I resolved to stay positive in dealing with this precariousness, truly believing that He is there accompanying each one of us because of His great love. As proof that God is with us in this event, in my own simple and little way I extended help to the group headed by my niece who is a medical doctor by using the social media (because I’m in ECQ) to solicit donations for food packs for distribution to those underprivileged/financially depressed residents.

Likewise, my ECQ moments were also spent growing veggies (expected from an agriculturist) and were shared with my neighbors as well because for me sharing is caring.

If every day is God’s gift to me, then any good things I do during the day is/are my gift to Him.

Till today, I continue to stay positive and hopeful and remain consoled with the word of God from the letter of Paul to the Philippians 4: 6-7, which says:

“Dismiss all anxiety from your minds. Present your needs to God in every form of prayer and petitions full of gratitude. Then God’s own peace, which is beyond all understanding, will stand guard over your hearts and minds, in Christ Jesus”.

Armigenia O. Benedicto, Ph.D. is a professor of the School of Agriculture at the University of Negros Occidental – Recoletos.