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Thoughts on Community



Today is the 20th day of India being locked down to prevent the spread of the pandemic, COVID-19. While there is more than enough information out there on panic, public health, prevention and cure, flattening the curve, economy and its new possible forms and so on, I do not intend to speak of those.

The biggest thing that the pandemic has revealed, in my understanding–besides the need for better leadership and more focus on public healthcare–is the fact that life cannot be contained within borders.

How often have we assumed that if there is a problem in another country, city, neighbourhood, or even another house in the same locality, it won't affect us. How often have we thought and learnt even, that if someone is not okay, we don't have to do anything about it until it happens to us.

As I read story after story of ordinary citizens, who have faced whatever challenges their life had and inspired others, the one common strand in all these stories of everyday heroes and heroines was that they build strong lives for themselves and helped others through that act.

As I think about COVID-19 and the lockdown where everyone is being asked to stay indoors as much as possible to ensure that the spread of the virus is managed, I can't help but link that with the idea of a community and the fact that as human beings we are all connected with each other, no matter where we come from and who we are. Respecting this connection is the key to allow for a more peaceful civilisation that together works towards progress.

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This is my first post on here. My name is Shivranjana Rathore. I am a writer, have authored a book, and have been working in the space of mental and emotional health, specifically looking at the family, individual, identity and how all of this is developed in each one of us. Right before connecting with Mr Dutt and Learning Forward India, I had created a short course on Family and Identity for students of classes 8 and 9.

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