Vitality weekly column : COVID19, the end of the world, or almost !

Leo Buscaglia said ‘’It's not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something. May I suggest that it be creating joy for others, sharing what we have for the betterment of person, kind, bringing hope to the lost and love to the lonely’’. Watching the news this week, my country, France is slowly getting in a home quarantine situation for an undetermined time. I am not really sure what to think about everything. First of all, everything seems so unreal just like when you woke up from a dream and you are like wait what's happened tonight ? When you are touring like me as a professional figure skater around the world, most of the time you can get stuck in such a bubble that you can't really realize seriously what's happening outside. Basically, the only concerned is to see what is to do in the next country you gonna travel and I'm privileged to live this amazing life. Also, Lucky me as I choose to be a journalist,  I could keep a step outside but even tho, I couldn't understand fully the situation till it's happened to the group of people I skate and travel with, the cast, my family and me. As any problem in the world. But anyway, I was really concerned to see that the people and most of the population had a very unconscious, and dangerous way to deal with the problem. The government clearly ask for a minimum contact between everyone and closed most of the stores and restaurants. After this announcement, people run to those places in order to celebrate ‘’the last moment together’’ like the virus gonna give them a break during this lovely time. Well, not true. My only hope then, was to see everybody take care of themselves and stay safe, caring and supportive.

 

Unfortunately a day after, I figured that lack of civisme is spreading faster than any virus. I went to the grocery store, obviously preparing for the tonight government announcement of our 45 days quarantine. It was quite a jungle and a funny time, at least for me because I was laughing at the non sense, non respect, non education of most of the people. It was like watching a TV show. To resume, arriving there, I had a hard time finding a food cart, found one in the middle of the parking stuck between two others that, was disgusting. Enter the store, hundreds of people, got rolled on my foot and bumped on my hips 3 times. I also went to the rice, water and toilet paper section, empty section. So, people make food reserve like it is the end of the world without thinking that it will be actually smarter to do every week grocery like, normal (because we are allowed to do that) than being monster fighting over a box of food. We all experience many freakish and unexpected events  like the virus  today. The philosopher Schopenhauer talked about how out of the randomness, there is an apparent intention in the fate of an individual that can be glimpsed later on. Sometimes, we’ll be down on our luck and need some help such as, a chance, or an opportunity. Sometimes, we just need someone to show us compassion and kindness. If you’ve ever had someone help you in your life, remember how it felt and keep that feeling in mind when the opportunity for you to help someone else comes up.