By Koung Aung
IT has been almost three decades since I happened to read the shortest personal interview in the Hmya Nat Maung Magazine. The interviewer is New Oo whereas the interviewee is Htoo Ein Thin. As it is the shortest interview, the question is short and the answer is a curt reply.
Q. What matters most in life?
A. Love and wisdom.
Despite the Q&A Session being rather short, it means a lot to me, provoking a train of thought. If we want the world to be beautiful, love and wisdom are indispensable with both being important in their own ways, and therefore, none of them can be left behind.
Thinking of love and wisdom, I remember Mahatma Gandhi, the father of India’s peace. I hope most people know him. Nonetheless, I would like to recall some of the peculiarities people may miss. Once he came late for the train he was going to catch. When he arrived at the railway station, the train started to leave, and so, he hastily jumped onto the train with the help of the passengers standing at the door. In his haste, he dropped one slipper onto the railway platform. What do you think he did, our readers? Gandhi immediately took off the other slipper and threw it onto the railway platform.
When asked by the passengers nearby why he did so, Gandhi replied, “The person who gets the slipper I dropped cannot use it because it is only half of the pair of slippers. That’s why I threw another one down so that he can have the full pair of slippers.” It is wise of him to have thrown another one because if he didn’t do so, neither Gandhi nor the one who got one slipper can wear them. In that case, the slippers will be of no use to them both. This act not only demonstrates his wisdom but also his love for the people.
The Ministry of Health released an announcement at 8 pm on 10 October regarding monitoring and controlling of Covid -19. The announcement says that the Ministry of Health is carrying out with might and main Covid - 9 prevention, treatment and monitoring activities and that the Ministry is conducting Covid - 19 tests on those suspected of being Covid - 19 positive and confirmed positive as well as on those who have had close contact with the positive persons and those who are quarantined. According to the announcement, 232 people were found positive out of 10,215 people on whom Covid tests were conducted. Therefore, the positive percentage was 2.27.
Those who are closely watching the Covid - 19 situation in Myanmar are of the opinion that the fifth wave has entered Myanmar. Regardless of the truth of their forecast, we cannot neglect their prediction. We must be on alert. And the media are writing that Covid is raising its head again because many people are not wearing face masks and face shields, not washing their hands frequently and not keeping the six-foot physical distance, merely bent upon the rumours of the price hikes. Matter-of-factly, we ought to be vigilant as we have already suffered dramatically from the worst consequences of the outbreak of the third wave. We must be well prepared through the employment of all means and tools available. Otherwise, we can suffer the same fate as in the third and fourth waves.
In the face of the fifth wave, we have to protect ourselves against Covid - 19 with the use of not only physical means but also abstract or intangible means like love, wisdom and mindfulness. In this regard, I would like to present two Covid - 19 cases that took place during the second wave.
The first case is concerned with a man who abides by the Covid-19 rules and regulations. When he arrived at Aung Mingala High Way Bus Terminal, he remembered his better half saying, “When you arrive at Yangon, you do not come back home direct. Go to a quarantine centre first. And only when you are clear of Covid, return home.” Recalling what his wife said, he could not be happy although he was back in Yangon. Notwithstanding, he knew that he must pay heed to his spouse’s suggestions as he believed that staying at a quarantine centre will give protection not only to him but also to his wife and children and all at home in addition to the people he might have contact with on his return home.
Having decided, he tried to hire a taxi to go to the quarantine centre opened in Hlaing Township. Actually, he could not afford to hire a taxi. However, he was forced to do so as he was afraid of possibly spreading the virus on board a bus if he were positive. And so, instead of riding on a bus, he chose to take a taxi. And he was sincere in dealing with the taxi drivers, telling them his history—i.e. his itinerary. Upon hearing that he was back from Sittway, no taxi drivers wanted to give him a ride for fear of being infected with the virus because, at that time, there were cases of Covid in Sittway. He realized that no taxi drivers would take him to the quarantine centre as long as he provided his itinerary. Nevertheless, he hated to tell a lie, so, he chose to walk home. It is a very far distance from the highway bus terminal to the quarantine centre in Hlaing. Under the scorching sun, he had had to struggle hard with his whole body yielding sweat. This is, in fact, an ordeal. When he arrived at the quarantine centre in Hlaing, it was already evening. He related what had happened to him to the health personnel there who accorded him a warm welcome, offering him dinner outright. After dinner, they did everything they deemed necessary. He was relieved only when he was informed that he was Covid negative.
The second case is concerned with a woman from an educated community. She came to Yangon from which she flew to Sittway, where she stayed for some time. Then, she proceeded to Kyaukpyu.
Next, she left Kyaukpyu for Yangon by air. From Yangon, she returned to her native town. Upon arrival there, she did not go to the quarantine centre. Not staying in isolation at home, she went to the Ocean Centre. Additionally, she attended a funeral, and she also did the shopping at Maung Ngan Market. Hearing her itinerary, a volunteer relief team called her and persuaded her to go to a quarantine centre. Upon having a Covid test conducted on her, she was found to be positive.
Reading the two different covid cases, the readers will learn that the woman in the second case is not wise enough despite her educational qualification This being so, we can jump to the conclusion that people may not be wise despite holding degrees or diplomas and that those with the academic background can do harm to the mankind if they lack wisdom. Translated.
