"There is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood leads on to fortune. Omitted all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat. And we must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures."

William Shakespeare

Never ever in the realms of recent history, to the extent remembered by those still living, has humankind seen a tragedy as grave as that being witnessed today by scourge of the SARS-CoV-2. The Spanish flu was the last such pandemic that resulted in millions of lives and livelihood lost, more than a century ago. The development of science, technology, medicine, trade, commerce, communication etc, has led us to an interconnected world wherein not only do we remain connected seamlessly but are also able to trade, negotiate, build bonds or sever them in the flash of seconds.

Learning, is what teaches us and helps mankind to improve upon their lives, livelihood and living conditions. The biggest lessons that one learns are from tragedy and suffering. Disease and pandemics spur research and innovation in the field of medicine and epidemiology to alleviate human suffering. Warfare and conflict leads to a desire for peace and stability, resulting in dialogue and efforts towards conflict resolution. Poverty and unemployment propel governments to give food and shelter to those below the poverty line and make efforts to generate employment. People across the world work ceaselessly to improve upon what exists, to innovate, to teach and to research on the effects of climate change, natural disasters etc, all with a single minded quest to become better, safer and secure as the future unfolds. As we continue to run, jog, walk, trudge or crawl in the face of uncertainty and despair what keeps us going is hope . Hope, that there would be a better tomorrow, hope that this cloud will also have a silver lining, hope that there will be light at the end of the tunnel.

While individual lives are governed by our dreams, aspirations, efforts, hard work and perseverance, situation and circumstances, to a large extent; our collective future is governed by our leaders. Many leaders are wont to believe that they are the ones that change the destinies of nations and its people, while some may think of themselves as mere pawns in the larger cosmos, to witness, and to a measure control events as they unfold. Others would like to think of themselves as sole representatives, empowered to change the destinies of nations and its people. With so much suffering, death and devastation being witnessed across the world, sans borders, what precludes some leaders to think beyond preservation of human life and capital, indulging in bigotry and partisan behaviour, resulting in clashes and strife with concomitant loss of innocent lives.

The time has come for world's leaders to seize the initiative and work towards global peace and harmony, for if we don't then all our lives and those of our future generations would be "bound in shallows and in miseries" as quoted by William Shakespeare.