With all due respect to those directly affected by the coronavirus, it’s fascinating to think about the positive implications of this COVID-19 pandemic.

What I believe this virus has truly shown us is our collective underlying human nature and innate desire to live as community-based beings. Despite being told to socially distance ourselves, we have reacted in a way that has made us all act more compassionate and kind towards one another.

Just scroll through any meme-related Instagram feed and you’ll see that around the world people are banning together to provide comfort, entertainment, assurance and assistance to one another in any way that they can while simultaneously making sure to uphold their social distancing efforts.

In an earlier article, I argued that World Peace was unachievable*. However, this crisis is beginning to show me that it just might be! Though we can’t see into the future from where we stand, we can speculate on the positive impacts that this pandemic will have on society going forward (hopefully).

What will this crisis mean for economics? What will this crisis mean for businesses? What will this crisis mean for international trade? Could we perhaps be seeing the foundation for Universal Basic Income set in motion?

What I have learned from this pandemic is that we can all put our political flags aside (Red, Blue, Liberal, Conservative) and focus primarily on keeping each other safe and secure. What I have learned from this pandemic is that we need to value our interactions and learn to spend more time with those that we love (or those that we are currently quarantined with). What I have learned from this pandemic is that we may not need as much as we all think—with major stores closing down in the interim, forcing us to focus only on food, water, shelter and community.

I realize earnestly that this may be a privileged article for me to write. However, I truly believe that, despite where you are right now, whatever your current situation might be, it’s important to see the good amidst the bad in this situation and appreciate that a time like this will never happen again. We are living in such a pivotal point in human history which will be written and talked about for eons to come.

It is a time to stop, to look around, and to appreciate all that we have; a time to reflect and unwind (in spite of all of our financial and health related stress); a time for some of us, at least, to binge watch entire series’ while also getting paid (once Employment Insurance kicks in, that is); and a time for us to reflect on all that we had going on prior to this global lockdown.

So, I urge you: take a moment, take a breath, and realize that this isn’t going to last forever. Enjoy it while you can!

-now, go FaceTime someone you love or start working on that thing you’ve always want to, but never had the time for!