Be unitive, not divisive

I DIDN’T realize that a joke video I shared sometime ago

on social media would resonate with so many people. It was about a

fellow who wondered why a wife rushed to cremate her husband when he

only started to have a fever.

            Some people told me that with couples under lockdown, some

tension and conflict become unavoidable. “They know that their

commitment to each other,” someone told me in jest, “should be ‘till

death do us part.’ But it should not be 24/7 that they be together.”

            Indeed, it’s undeniable that seeing each other the whole

day, let alone, for an indefinite number of days, can create friction.

We are all notorious for that. We seem helpless before that tendency.

But it’s a challenge we have to face and learn to handle well. And the

current quarantine dispensation is a good occasion to do that. We

actually have a golden opportunity in our hands to learn something

very precious.

            I was just both amused and disturbed that in the social

media these days, some funny conflicts and useless squabbling over

unimportant matters are playing out. A young doctor, for example,

bashes a public official over a matter of prudence about what proper

steps and measures are supposed to be taken regarding our protection

from the Covid, triggering a chain of similar reactions. And things

like this seem to be sprouting in many places.

            It cannot be denied that all this can be an effect of the

unfamiliar and uncomfortable situation brought about by this

quarantine thing. People become irritable. Egos get easily rubbed,

especially if there’s some public image to protect and project.

Patience gets over-stretched and becomes a costly commodity.

            To a third party quite detached from the issues involved,

it is clear that everyone has a point, except that the tone and manner

of presenting and reacting to things get exaggerated. One overreacts

to a view expressed by another person, and the person also overreacts

in response. It’s like the Law of Talion being played out, and before

you know it you have an explosive situation over something that is

really nothing.

            We have to learn to calm down, respecting each other’s

opinions. We cannot avoid differences. That’s part of being human. But

let’s not forget that at the end of the day we all are in the same

boat. We have to care for one another. We float or sink depending on

how we behave toward each other.

            When we are sober, keeping our emotions under control, we

can actually sort out our differences quite well. And even in those

instances when our differences cannot be reconciled, we can always

manage to disagree in an agreeable manner.

            Let’s make use of this Covid-caused quarantine lifestyle

to learn to be more patient, more understanding and caring towards

others. Yes, let’s learn to be more humble, because all this useless

quarrels are at bottom a matter of pride and vanity.

            Let’s learn how not to get tired seeing the same faces the

whole day. In fact, let’s be accepting of everybody, regardless of how

one is, warts and all. Never allow critical thoughts and grudges to

stay long in us. On the contrary, let’s be ever creative and inventive

in showing our love, concern, affection for everybody, being quick to

understand and to forgive.

            When we notice that we want to distance ourselves from

someone, then it is a clear sign that we have a problem, and that

problem has to be solved with God’s grace and our effort.

            The same attitude should be kept when we are in some

public discussion or engagement. We have to be careful with our

emotions, and let’s see to it that our humility is kept strong and

vibrant especially when we are misunderstood or mistreated.

            Our foremost concern is that we foster unity always, never

allowing any signs of divisiveness to creep in, as much as possible!