The last few weeks have certainly not been peaceful: between the rapid onset of a contagious virus, hyperactive media coverage, and a lack of decisive action by multiple developed countries, paranoia has set it. And in paranoia, human beings have not been rational actors. Not a day goes by when you don't hear of people defying quarantine, or of hoarders stocking for the next decade, disrupting the finely tuned supply-chains. It makes you realize what a thin veneer of order human beings superficially present, and how quickly this can be subverted

In then end, I am eternally grateful for the people who keep civilization functioning: the medical personnel taking care of the sick and researchers finding the next cure, the expansive supply chain supplying essential goods, transit workers, safety services, and utility providers without whom nations would grind to a halt.

During these pressing times, what gives me solace are the little signs of upcoming spring: a poppy flower opening up its colorful petals, a budding field of color heralding warmer weather, bountiful waterfalls under fleeting light, and alpine meadows renewing under the growing warmth of the sun. I hope that by the time spring rolls around, things will become more peaceful again. And in the meantime, I am going to be hunkered down at home, admiring memories of these little signs of solace.

CA USA