Character and faith, now more than ever

It is without doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the entire world. For most, if not all of us, this is the first time we are witnessing such a global tragic event. It is certainly unprecedented in our generation and recent generations before us.

How we deal with and respond to this enormous health challenge and the resulting fallout from the many effects this pandemic is causing will be ever-changing. I am therefore heartened when we have our political leaders like the Minister of Health and Wellness acknowledging that mistakes will be made but “we will pull ourselves up, dust ourselves off and continue the fight.”

Unfortunately, any mistakes made can be fatal as we are dealing with an extremely dangerous virus that causes death. Minimizing those mistakes must be our utmost priority but this is unchartered waters and as was said by our acting Prime Minister, there is no manual or script to follow in dealing with all the dynamics this pandemic is throwing at us. Nothing in our past history has prepared us to deal with this with some certainty of positive outcomes.

This means that each and every one of us has to put our hands to the ‘wheel’ and play our part in ensuring that our country is kept safe, healthy and secure.

What is ideally called for at such troubling times as ours is a high sense of civic responsibility – a responsibility that informs our actions and words in such dire situations, which, outside of these times, would have seen us operating differently.

It is trying times for all of us and no individual is safe or secure from this pandemic. Coping under such circumstances can be extremely challenging for several persons and will require a great deal of self–restraint, patience and sacrifice. Our leadership undoubtedly has more pressures on them to lead, guide and get us through these rough waters. If we compound these pressures by refusing to act responsibly, by ignoring warnings and curfews or by just being negative about everything that is being done then we are not displaying that civic duty so badly needed now.

Constructive criticism that helps guide policy and rules should be welcomed and embraced and I commend this Government for living up to their promise to be open, frank and honest with the general public as well as to be good listeners. But criticism just simply to be critical is unnecessary and extremely damaging, especially in our current situation.

Many are suffering and many will be affected significantly from this pandemic. Some directly and many indirectly. The health issues are the main problem and will require most of our resources and time. The economic impact will also be extremely significant. Preparing ourselves mentally as well as physically for all the challenges that are coming and will come about will be crucial for our long-term survival.

Much bigger, more developed and advanced countries than ours have made critical mistakes in dealing with this pandemic. So critical have been those mistakes that their death rates soared and continue to rise. Their political leadership has also been affected. Their missteps in fully understanding this virus and its expansive, devastating arms have created a world of panic and fear.

Fear and anxiety are understandable in these times. We are dealing with so many unknowns and we are facing a pandemic that ultimately can lead to suffering and death. It requires, therefore, the strong amongst us to help the weak.

The many who have volunteered their time and resources to help their neighbours and others is remarkable. While the scenes of panic at our food establishments is an ugly sight, the scenes of people stepping up to help others, many that they don’t even know, is humanity at its best.

This is the high sense of civic responsibility so badly needed at this time. What can I do with my limited resources to help someone else with even more limited resources?

Our nation and our people must come out stronger and more resilient after this ordeal. We are smack in the centre of it now and while we are consumed with the daily tragedy unfolding around us, we cannot, for one moment, ignore getting through it and doing what is necessary to help more and more persons to get through.

Two characteristics that have been our strengths in our history must now rise to the surface once again and be our double-edged sword as we battle COVID-19. Faith and character. If we as a people haven’t relied on those two in recent history then we must rely on them now, more than ever.

Our faith in understanding that the Almighty is truly in charge of all that happens and doesn’t happen. Our faith allows us to do all within our power and leave the rest to our Creator. A faith as etched in writing in our National Anthem that allows us to accept that “with Him still on the people’s side, we have no doubts or fears”.

A 14th century scholar of the Islamic faith said that in testing times: “God closes one door with His Wisdom and opens two doors with His Mercy.”

We are at the mercy of our Creator and faith will help us today as it helped us in the past. Character will also help us today as it helped us in the past. A character that speaks to resilience in the face of overwhelming odds. A character that pushes us to do what is right regardless of the situation. I have written before on character and I can’t help but acknowledge the strong connection between what needs to be achieved for Barbados at this time and the type of character we need to aspire to. It is said that a man’s character is his fate. Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States of America said: “Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude.”

Character is indeed destiny. Our character can determine where we ultimately end up. Many people confuse this. They believe destiny is what caused them to be where they are. Each human being is endowed with capacities greater than any other creation and we are also granted the ability to have a character that would allow us to do good, be fair and just, and help others and do what is right.

Our strength of character and our determination to succeed against all odds are what is needed so much so now to be reinforced in the psyche of every Barbadian.

Suleiman Bulbulia is a Justice of the Peace; Secretary of the Barbados Muslim Association; Muslim Chaplain at the Cave Hill Campus, UWI and a Childhood Obesity Prevention Champion. Email: suleimanbulbulia@hotmail.com