Three Reasons for Hope

March was a turning point for our country as COVID-19 started its rapid assault on the population resulting in massive business closures, millions of lost jobs, and a complete change in the daily lives and routines of most Americans. We all fear that some of our friends and loved ones may get sick. We pray for those who are ill and those who are at high risk of critical illness. The reality of lost jobs, wages, routines, and expectations is taking a toll on our minds, emotions, and spirits.

We are in a war with the coronavirus. We need massive, collective, coordinated action now in order to stabilize our economy and help it recover in the future. But with the future so uncertain, we also need hope, which can be a powerful source of energy to fuel our souls and move us to action.

Here are three good reasons for having hope that we will get through this pandemic, rebuild our economy, and reinvent our way of life for the better:

1. Hope is based on experience. Despite massive, periodic adversity, our lifespans and quality of life have consistently improved over time.
2. Hope is based on knowledge. Our knowledge and how we obtain and disseminate that knowledge keep getting better. In medicine, this means genomic sequencing can be done almost in real-time which enables researchers to track strains of the Covid-19 virus. With the economy, we avoided a depression in 2008 because we learned over time how to respond to economic crises.
3. Hope is based on our will to survive and achieve. Our most basic drive is survival. That includes not only survival of ourselves but also of our offspring and species. We are in this for our collective long-term survival. Crises ultimately bring people together. When people come together, positive change happens that will allow us to forge a more sustainable, more resilient society.

Coronavirus is a force of nature. But history shows us that, in times of crisis, people have pulled together, helped each other through, and emerged smarter, more resilient, and more hopeful for the future.