Digesting more and more perspective from friends around the world regarding the coronavirus, and having Easter weekend to reflect on things, I'd like to pose another perspective about COVID-19.  As you listen to the official language surrounding this disease, the militant language is palpable:  it's an enemy, we're at war with the virus, we must fight until we win, let's defeat this horrible enemy.

             These are the phrases that express our perspective.  But what if the enemy is us?  What if the coronavirus is nature--or creation--take your pick, on its knees sobbing and begging for humanity to stop its abuse?  Imagine coronavirus as a person that we've raped, pillage, assaulted, disrespected, abused; it represents nature; it represents our collective disregard for creation's rules.  What kind of language would that inspire?

             Imagine if officials said:  "Stay home, and use this as a time of reflection and repentance.  Examine your expenditures for the last year and see if they built soil or destroyed soil; if they respected our great nutritional and ecological partners domestic livestock or disrespected these animals; if they encouraged ecological resilience and diversity (wildlife, pollinators, multi-speciation) or discouraged variety with mono-crops and chemicals; if they patronized businesses that strengthen local economies or prey upon local economies; if they reduced pollutants or increased pollutants; if they stimulated a healthy micro-biome and immunity or decreased overall health?"

             Imagine a national initiative for reflection and contemplation regarding lifestyle and spending.  Did you need that new car?  That trip to Paris?  All that take-out?  The alcohol?  The lottery tickets?  The Easter candy?  Tobacco?  Starbucks?  Season tickets?  $500 purse?  The 10th pair of shoes?  The violent video game?

             The fact that we've seen such sudden response in urban air quality, Venice water quality, and overall planetary health just by pushing a pause button should give us all renewed hope for just how easy it is to redirect some major healing.  Rather than using the internet as a new frenetic tool to spend and go, we can use it to save and stay.  How about that for a change?

             For the record, I don't hate cities and I don't hate the NFL and I don't hate Las Vegas and I don't hate Caribbean Cruises; the question is how much?  Could the planet be satisfied with a third of all this, or half, or a quarter?  When is enough enough?  If one guy makes 10 percent on the stock market, must I make 11 percent?  If taxes are 30 percent, must they always be pushed to 31, then 32, then 33?  When and how can we be satisfied?

             Chasing the "American Dream" unfortunately is a pathway to ecological and emotional destruction.  And it's not just America.  It's the human condition.  Everyone, it seems, wants to be somewhere else emotionally, relationally, financially,  experientially, educationally, recreationally.  Why can't we take a deep breath and just be grateful for where we are, who we're with?  How about we aspire to develop better character than higher paychecks?  How about we aspire to better stewardship rather than a bigger piece of the pie?

             As we've come together to defeat the coronavirus, how about we come together to defeat the real problem?  Us?  And what if we viewed this issue as an inconvenient spanking rather than some insidious Devil?  I'm in tears for my own hypocrisy, for the continued Conquistadoring of creation and cultures, and for the mercenary mindlessness of our luxuries.  God help us.

             What one thing have you decided to change as a result of COVID-19?