All over the world people are waking up to a new reality
Srinagar: A stirring poem by a priest in Ireland is providing solace to countless people worldwide that remain in lockdown in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.
Titled ‘Lockdown’, the poem penned by Brother Richard Hendrick is a strong message of hope during the uncertain times, the world has been thrown into. It begins by acknowledging the fact that the coronavirus headlines come hand-in-hand with disease, fear, panic and even death.
This caveat in place, Richard continues: “But they say that in Wuhan, after so many years of noise, you can hear the birds again.
“They say that, after just a few weeks of quiet, the sky is no longer thick with fumes, but blue and grey and clear. They say that in the streets of Assisi people are singing to each other across the empty squares, keeping their windows open so that those who are alone may hear the sounds of family around them.”
Richard goes on to pay tribute to a hotel in the West of Ireland which “is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound”, and the young woman he saw spreading fliers with her phone number on, so that the elderly people in her neighbourhood have someone to call on.
“All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting,” he says. All over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new way.
“All over the world people are waking up to a new reality. To how big we really are. To how little control we really have. To what really matters.
“To Love.”
Read his poem in full below
Lockdown
Yes there is fear.
Yes there is isolation.
Yes there is panic buying.
Yes there is sickness.
Yes there is even death.
But,
They say that in Wuhan after so many years of noise
You can hear the birds again.
They say that after just a few weeks of quiet
The sky is no longer thick with fumes
But blue and grey and clear.
They say that in the streets of Assisi
People are singing to each other
across the empty squares,
keeping their windows open
so that those who are alone
may hear the sounds of family around them.
They say that a hotel in the West of Ireland
Is offering free meals and delivery to the housebound.
Today a young woman I know
is busy spreading fliers with her number
through the neighbourhood
So that the elders may have someone to call on.
Today Churches, Synagogues, Mosques and Temples
are preparing to welcome
and shelter the homeless, the sick, the weary
All over the world people are slowing down and reflecting
All over the world people are looking at their neighbours in a new way
All over the world people are waking up to a new reality
To how big we really are.
To how little control we really have.
To what really matters.
To Love.
So we pray and we remember that
Yes there is fear.
But there does not have to be hate.
Yes there is isolation.
But there does not have to be loneliness.
Yes there is panic buying.
But there does not have to be meanness.
Yes there is sickness.
But there does not have to be disease of the soul
Yes there is even death.
But there can always be a rebirth of love.
Wake to the choices you make as to how to live now.
Today, breathe.
Listen, behind the factory noises of your panic
The birds are singing again
The sky is clearing,
Spring is coming,
And we are always encompassed by Love.
Open the windows of your soul
And though you may not be able
to touch across the empty square,
Sing.
March 13th 2020
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