For weeks we are experiencing in the characters of the Corona, the interruption of our mobile employment company. Forced to take a break, makes a lot of things in a new light. It was previously very important to stay in motion, to be on the road for all sorts of important things in all sorts of places, so changed that drastically. A standstill. The fear of contagion. The road traffic in the cities thinned out, the mass tourism is gone, the cruise ships remain in port, aircraft fleets on the ground.
For nature this means a sigh of Relief, a stress break. And for many families with school-age children, it means living partially in a confined space. You can’t avoid each other, must take care of each other, to get along together. This is not easy, but a Chance for deeper relationships. And a Chance to have more gratitude.
right to a good life
Many of the things we’ve seen so far, as a matter of course, are not there in truth. We miss physical closeness, miss concerns lots of social contacts with friends or colleagues in the workplace. We miss the privilege to move freely and to travel.
Before Corona was not a special privilege. We lived in a mood, as it is our right to lead a good, successful life. The Western culture has to be propagated to all the channels of the self-made, self-directed life. This has many transmissions in the Illusion that you have a right to everything. That you career and happiness is entitled to health and enjoyment. A way of life that brings forth no gratitude. How should people be grateful, if you can keep the good life for you right?
life as a gift
The Corona-crisis forces us to refrain from. Gratitude is the paradoxical flip side of sacrifice and suffering. Who knows, that life is not a right, but a fragile gift that is never without suffering and difficulties, is grateful for everything he has. And who is, in this sense grateful, too, can be happy and other people happy. Or, in the words of the philosopher and statesman Francis Bacon (1561-1626): “it is Not the Lucky ones are grateful. It is the thankful who are happy.”
Giuseppe Gracia (52) is a writer and media relations officer of the diocese of Chur. He is married and the father of two children. In his VIEW column, which appears every second Monday, expressed he is personal views.
