Thoughts One Would Be Left With After 2020

In 2021, it is likely that the thought process on “ future after human life “ would receive much attention , which would be the ultimate contribution of COVID 19.

by N.S.Venkataraman                          

It is reported that in a normal year, around 55 million people die in the world.

It is now reported that  in the year 2020, around 1.8 million people have died in the world due to COVID 19 alone.

This means  that compared to the normal year , around 3.3 % of people have died due to COVID 19 in 2020.  Amongst the people who died due to COVID 19, a very significant percentage of the people were elderly citizens, many of whom  could have been suffering from  age related diseases or what is known as morbidity conditions.  In other words, it  is possible that amongst the people who lost their lives due to COVID in 2020 , more than 50% of them could have died  even otherwise due to frail physical conditions. 

These figures are indicated  not to belittle the harm done to  world health by COVID 19,  but only to point out the way that  it would  influence the thought process of the people   in 2021, with significant  impact in the psychic conditions of men and women in all age groups all over the world.

In normal times , when  some near and dear ones die, people would feel sad and depressed for some time and then resume their normal activities , though in most cases , the thoughts of the dear and near ones would stay  in the mind  during  the rest of their lives.  But, generally, it  does   not   impact  the lifestyle of the surviving people in most cases.  But, the deaths due to COVID 19 are likely to  provoke different kinds of thoughts  amongst people in the year  2021.

During 2020 ,  everyone was  afraid whether they could also be victims of COVID 19.  When  some unknown person dies due to COVID 19 at a distant place and the news is read in the media , people shivered  whether they too could be near such a tragedy anytime soon.

In 2021, the next thought that would come is  the realization   gaining uppermost in the mind of people    that  death is inevitable  and is a law of nature, that would make one wonder where one would go after death and where they came from into the world. The conscience of birth and death is likely to occur too frequently  in the thought process of people after the year 2020, as people have  experienced the death warnings almost every day due to  COVID 19  crisis.

Whether one would admit it or not , in the year 2021, people would start searching for answers about the  origin  and end of life , more than ever before in the recent history of mankind. Inevitably, people would  seek explanation from the religious scriptures and  the so called philosophers and claimed spiritual teachers. 

Does anyone really know and does any religion convincingly explain the concept of death and birth? Such lack of clarity would create a sense of discomfort and restlessness amongst the cross section of people.

 It appears  that most of the religions  and spiritual teachers explain the events of birth and death ,with the explanation  that nothing could be created without a creator and therefore , there  should be God, overseeing birth, death and world activities.  Consequently, people hear stories about miracles , life after death etc. without really  knowing what it is all about.

All religions and spiritual teachers  and philosophers  simply say that one should not question this   concept  of God and the religion advises people to simply accept the concept and further conveniently say that the  human mind is incapable of thinking beyond this. Thus, come the  advocacies  towards meditation, prayer, devotion etc. etc.

In 2021, it is likely that the thought process on “ future after human life “ would receive much attention , which would be the ultimate contribution of COVID 19.

It is more than likely that with the development of vaccines, researchers would come out with medical treatment to safeguard  the health of the  people.  The fear of COVID 19 will go away slowly and steadily  in 2021 due to the efforts of the medical researchers.

 COVID 19  will gradually  become a distant memory , but the fear of death that it created in every individual would take a long time to recede away and the introspection of future course after death would persist.

While everyone look forward to 2021 with hope  of a better year , certainly  a better time will emerge  in 2021. With the onset of year 2021,  a more matured mindset towards the concept of life  and it’s   purpose and uncertainties amongst individuals may also happen.