H1N1 Scare

Amid the H1N1 Influenza virus fear and preventive measures taken by all countries globally, one is nevertheless fearful for themselves and their loved ones. The world has become highly mobile, with a large percentage of people living as global citizens, flying to many different countries frequently as their job requires them to. Inevitably they come into contact with many people from different backgrounds and nationalities and might well be carriers of the virus unknowingly. and the virus is coming closer to our home day after day, with 2 confirmed cases in our closest neighbour, Malaysia.

To be honest, I am really fearful of the virus. I believe that I am pretty safe, considering that I am usually either home or in school or buying groceries while travelling between the two places. And I just teach students at my home, so I don't even worry about meeting people and catching the virus. Physical health has generally improved tremendously for me this half a year ever since I started teaching at home. But I can't help worrying about my family. Adrian, for a start, is frequently travelling to KL, the capital of Malaysia and most crowded and cosmopolitan. And his resistance is pretty low right now, having been overworked and travelling too much for comfort.

I am extremely worried for my sis and brother-in-law who live in Virginia, near Washington D.C. Although these are not blacklisted states, they are required to travel within the States on their jobs too. That is scarier than travelling to another country!

I worry for my sister's parents-in-law. her father-in-law frequently travel to India, Europe and North America, spending only a quarter of his time at home aka Singapore. He is the true global citizen here and is at high risk of catching the virus. And if he becomes a carrier and comes back to Singapore, even if he does not fall ill himself, his wife will surely catch it as her health is generally very weak.

When the school reopens, I will be worried for my kids. Many children would have gone to Malaysia during the holidays, who knows where else. How nice it would be if everyone could just stay home and shut themselves up, going out only when absolutely necessary. Like this holidays, this is the first time I find both Costa Sands Resort (Pasir Ris) and Downtown East still fully available including weekends so close to the school holidays. And why so? Because the quarantine holiday resort Aloha Loyang is just right after Costa Sands (Pasir Ris)!

Fear. Worry. Troubled. I recall how paranoid I was when SARS occurred and I was first diagnosed with my psychotic illness. I recall how I would wake up in the middle of the night crying and breaking out in could sweat during the Tsunami period, seeing the vision of this Indonesian woman holding her drowned toddler and crying in vain. Yes, being fearful, worried and troubled are indeed sins, for these natural disasters are works of God after all. He must have his divine reasons for these disasters to happen, beyond our comprehension. No disasters on earth, no urgency to seek Him, no need to long to go home to Heaven. I've got to learn to contain all these negative emotions I have and focus my energies on saving more of the lost, so that more will come to know God and benefit when doomsday come.