In a span of two week, COVID -19 or coronavirus has changed the world we live in. The government in Saudi Arabia established 71 new rules to curb the spread of the virus. It was the government's experience in managing huge crowds that proved pivotal and helpful in their readiness to handle this situation. The government started the journey of countering this epidemic by forming a committee of 19 ministry officials to decide the precautionary measures taken. The temporary suspension of entry to Saudi Arabia for Umrah was the first decision to be declared. Followed by the prevention of travelers coming from coronavirus-infected areas from entering the country. Then they announced the suspension of Umrah for a short period of time to sterilize the mosque. After that, they announced the closing of education centers, universities, schools, malls and restaurants. Every public gathering place is closed now to eliminate the virus from spreading in the crowds. Even praying in mosques was suspended. Students now are taking their classes on Blackboard. Individuals are advised to stay at home and practice social distance. Families made adjustments to their daily activities like having a corner in the house for prayer time, ordering groceries online and working from home. Expectations for life after coronavirus can vary between optimistic, pessimistic or balanced ones. The optimistic people would say, "Everything is going to be the same". Throughout history, generations fought against diseases like Ebola, which in recent history had killed around 11,000 people. Pandemics are not new to humans; we often rise up after crises like this with more resilience to live. The feeling of appreciation for normal life events, going out, walks and working outside the home is a positive outcome of this pandemic. Pollution reduction is a major advantage of paralyzing civilians' movement. People value family time more now even if they are practicing social distancing; technology builds virtual bridges between loved ones. Facing this epidemic has brought people closer and united them. It even inspired people to build kits of necessary items for emergencies that include food like rice and beans, flashlight, a first aid kit, a knife and some cash among other things. The optimistic thinkers can be out of touch with reality sometimes; they do not comprehend the seriousness of this matter. Some of them see this global crisis as a holiday and you would see them doing something insensitive like having a cake designed in the shape of coronavirus for a celebration when people are dying and losing their jobs because of coronavirus. A pessimistic person would view this situation as the beginning of the end of the world. They would focus on the damage that happened to the economy. The travel industry was one of the major affected businesses. Flights between different areas of the world were stopped to contain the virus. Even if this pandemic vanishes, people interaction is never going to be the same. Starting from the working environment to mundane things like waiting in line or a handshake. People would cherish their personal space, as it is their armor from getting infected. A pessimistic person who is a believer of conspiracy theories would think, what if the virus was the tool that another nation spread to have the upper hand on us. Or, what if it was the starting point for our government to control us in every move we take by implementing fear. A pessimistic person can be out of touch with reality just like an optimistic person would, or be unwilling to give credit where credit is due; when it comes to the government's handling of this situation. A balanced person would investigate the future with optimism but assess the reality through a factual and realistic lens. Viruses and wars throughout history have caused a lot of deaths and hardships. We will get through this pandemic with the least amount of damage if we act responsibly. Coronavirus hurt the economy especially small and local businesses, but the Saudi Arabian government ordered SR9 billion for employees affected by coronavirus repercussions through the SANED program. This pandemic pushed companies to work on their online service delivery. It provided opportunities for online jobs for individuals and shed light on the importance of online shops in the customer's life. In the time of crises, people value their resources more. This pandemic helped raise financial awareness and limited individuals from unnecessary expenses. People are eating indoors, cutting their hair, doing their laundry by themselves. This pandemic increased health awareness of the public. Cleanliness is thought of by people more than ever. Appreciation for health workers is growing by every heroic story talked about in the news or published in social media accounts. I would suggest that people keep the social distance for now and practice good hygiene. Maintain a well-balanced diet to increase the immune system and try to make the best of this situation. Looking to the future should not be through a positive utopic view or a pessimistic skeptical one. Rather, we should look to the future through a natural factual lens that believes in God's power to make everything okay. Treat this time as a time to stand back and assess your life, figure out your weaknesses and strengths and be ready with a plan for an inspiring future.
