Everything seems to be normal and quiet until it happens to us. From the outside, situations seem to be easier to understand. But…What happens when the situation personally affects us? What happens when it happens to you? 

These last weeks seem to be one of the weirdest times that humanity has ever experienced, but is that true? What would you think if I tell you that our perception is wrong? Well, more specifically, our perception of living the weirdest weeks ever is incorrect, also maybe a bit selfish. 

The reason? Here it goes, hint: Difficult times and suffering have always been there. Just because the experience wasn't yours personally, doesn't mean it wasn’t already happening to others for ages. Maybe you didn’t see it or feel it, but it was there. 

Here are some examples: 

• More than 6 million Venezuelans had to run away from their country just to SURVIVE the Communist Dictatorial Regime (responsible for one of the biggest humanitarian disasters in this century; bringing economic, political, social and health crisis). But because it is something that is not happening to or affecting other countries, it is not important enough to cause worldwide empathy. 

• 1 in every 11 people have Diabetes - a disease that comprises most of the body’s systems, that doesn’t have a cure and is strong enough to modify the entire person’s lifestyle. But, because it only happens to 1 in 11 people, maybe it is not relevant enough to divert great attention and resources to improve people with diabetes’ lives. 

• About 1% of the global population has Celiac Disease -an autoimmune condition that compromises the quality of life, that also doesn’t have a cure. Possibly because just 1% of the global population. When actually most countries don’t even symptomize the condition in their hospitals. It can be treated with a gluten-free diet, but those foods are the least commercialized. So many people are forced to cope and eat things that may contain gluten. Why? Because nobody is properly educated about that condition. 

• More than 30% of the global population has mental disorders, which doesn’t have a cure, and most people affected don't even have access to treatment. Why? Well, as mental disorders are not so recurring and are not physical, it doesn’t seem to be relevant enough to give them attention. The world is also just not informed enough about it, which is why people with mental disorders are often rejected. 

• Do you feel like the world is going to end? Are you so terrified with the idea of having COVID-19 and your life is in danger? Well, some people live everyday feeling that their world is going to end, 11.3% of the global population has Anxiety disorders. They are viewed as people that just take everything too seriously or are scared, and that is the reason why their diseases are not being taken into account. 

• Do you have fear of being hidden or that your life could not be taken on consideration in front of another person’s life? Well, there are more than 272 million migrants in the world that have to hide from governments. And many of these people don’t have rights or guarantees, simply because they were born in another country. 

Now, we could continue saying more examples of suffering, but you probably already get the point. 

Then I implore you to ask yourself, what is happening now and why are we feeling this way? 

The answer is simple in my eyes: as you could see in the examples until just a few weeks ago, COVID-19 seemed to be causing suffrage in just Asia. And looking at it from the outside, it didn’t seem to be relevant enough and close enough to home for us to feel worried or even bothered. 

But, when the reality that we could too be affected, vulnerability and Empathy kick in. Empathy because we found out that we were all in danger, and this virus could affect all of our lives or livelihoods.

So, what can we do now? 

Well, here are some simple and direct solutions that may start to save more lives than anything else: 

• Learn that human beings are all vulnerable: Maybe we have always been vulnerable. Maybe it is only with our own societal and technological advances that we began to feel stronger than we actually are. Yet, biologically and economically we have always been the most vulnerable beings on the planet. 

• Remember the key to human survival: for many people, the key to human survival could be intelligence and reasoning. BIG MISTAKE, the human race has survived so long because of our ability to unify. We depend on each other and we need each other to survive. 

• We need to realize that our protection is in the hands of each individual: but not just in pandemic times..all the time. 

• Be aware of the fact that everything is connected in the world: this situation just showed us that the action of just ONE PERSON can affect millions. 

• Take this time to think about all those people that are always suffering and living in difficult times. Not just because they don’t represent the entire human society. 

To end, I want to give you this sentence that has been on my mind lately, and is probably the most important thing I have learned from this situation: 

Empathy: think about others and their condition, because one day you could depend on their condition.