Of Breath and Bread

These are dark days of the Covid-19 pandemic. Almost every country is experiencing a surge of new infections. Hospitals are being overwhelmed again. People are losing their jobs; companies are filing for bankruptcy. 

Even though the death-rate due to the Covid-19 virus is relatively low, we are still unsure of its long-term consequences. In Malaysia,  people are generally conforming to the requirements to wear masks in public areas but I think most people find it hard to resist social gatherings among friends. 

Here in Malaysia, people are already bracing themselves up for the imposition of Emergency  rule on the nation. It looks like there's no alternative for the ruling government as it faces political uncertainty over the approval of the 2021 Budget and also the risk of upcoming by-elections and elections which could further exacerbate the current public health crisis.

The US presidential election is slightly more than a week away. While most of the world abhors Donald Trump, he still has his die-hard supporters who could turn the tide for him in some critical swing states. A close result could plunge the US into a lot of political uncertainty as Trump is already questioning the legitimacy of absentee mail-in ballots.

Over here in Malaysia, The Sabah state election had triggered our third wave of infection. We cannot afford any by-election nor state election, let alone a snap General Election. The problem in Malaysia now is that neither side has a strong majority. The 2020 General Election has wiped away age-old alliances and rearranged them unexpected ways.  There is also a lot of uncertainty. 

While these political intrigues are playing out daily, the average citizen is struggling to cope with the restrictions of the Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) imposed in the Klang Valley.  I think most people are more appreciative of their jobs now, if they still have one. Everyone is just trying to cope with their bread and butter issues.

I've been in a meditative mood in all my past blog posts. Which is why, I try not to write anything in that vein this time. I have a daily job which allows me to continuously improve myself and for that I am grateful. Let's take things a day at a time. And every day upon waking up, I do my daily meditation--acknowledging the basic fact of my existence: I breathe. 

How simple is the breath. And that is all there is to life. You take a breath, and the rest follows. That's how I approach each day.  My daily breath, is my daily bread.