Surviving the Pandemic: Resilience and Hope

How resilient can we be when facing tough challenges like the pandemic?

Several stories of resilience and the transformative power of hope inspire us daily for those facing their greatest battle. When people have the fighting spirit and the will to live, they become survivors. They not only survive but thrive, fueled by the power of hope.

Surviving this pandemic isn't about social and economic status, physical health, or intelligence. It's about our resilience in the face of adversity, the unwavering faith and hope that we cling to in the midst of difficulty and sorrow. 

When life serves us the bitter cup of suffering, it doesn't discriminate. The pandemic has brought us all face to face with the same fears, doubts, uncertainties, daily life struggles, and negative emotions. In this shared experience, we find our common humanity.

But when will we endure? How long will we persist in the struggle? When will we truly thrive? 

This pandemic makes us ponder our lives. If we have limited time to live and survive, how can we live our best life? If we die tomorrow, what are the good things we can do today? Reflection, the key to living a life of purpose and fulfillment, invites us to look within and find our true path. 

©️ 2021 Del Cusay

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of the Pandemic

What's that one thing you regret not doing before the Pandemic hit?

Is it about all work and no play? No travels? Does it have enough money? Is it about being cold and unable to extend a hand and give a warm embrace? 

What about your fitness goals? That dream job abroad? Or perhaps your dream house, 

dream car and the dream wedding?

This Pandemic brought chaos and lousy energy into our lives. It has caused anxiety, fear, apathy, and grief. It killed our dreams and highest hopes. It made a lot of people hopeless and helpless. It made us believe that life is short and could suddenly be gone.

Despite the chaos and lousy energy the Pandemic brought, it also brought out the best in us. It tested our resilience and faith, fostering kindness and understanding. It underscored the value of relationships and the realization that money isn't everything. It prompted us to ponder our existence and life purpose.

What's the ugly side and the bitter truth this Pandemic brings? We cannot understand the nature of suffering, our inability to prioritize what's essential versus what's unwanted, and our failure to see others' worth and even our worth.

The saddest truth is that the invisible enemy turns out to be our blind spots, our inability to spot our weaknesses, and our failure to unleash our hidden powers and energy. After all these years, we're still stuck with our society's false beliefs and the influence of the majority. It's okay to have struggled in the past; it's part of our journey. 

The good, the bad, and the ugly taste what we are and what we give out to this world. We may never know when this Pandemic will end, but it's not the end yet to make a restart, a new beginning, so we'll have a happy ending. This is our chance to start anew, to create a better future for ourselves and our loved ones. 

©️ 2021 Del Cusay

Patan Durbar Square and the Royal City

Never before have I encountered a city as enchanting as Patan Durbar Square, nestled just eight kilometers south of Kathmandu. Its unique charm is a sight to behold.

Patan, the ancient name of present-day Lalitpur, holds a significant place in Nepal's history as the third-largest city, following Kathmandu and Pokhara.

While the old city of Patan offers a nostalgic tour of its royal past, there's one place that stands out—the Patan Durbar Square. This unique site is a treasure trove of history, art, and culture, waiting to be explored and appreciated.

I'm lucky to have visited one of the three Durbar Squares in the Kathmandu Valley, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The other two Durbar Squares are in Kathmandu and Bhaktapur, but I needed help to visit them.

But then, as I entered Patan Durbar Square, I could sense its rich cultural past and the magnificent royal palace worth visiting.

It has 155 courtyards and 55 major temples significant to Hindus and Buddhists. I was able to visit one of the main temples and gained a great appreciation for architecture and the arts.

Patan is a city of fine arts. Its marvelous architecture evokes how skills are ingrained in its culture, preserved, and passed on to future generations. The artisans' craftsmanship is superb and brilliant as they create wood, stone, and metal carvings. 

Patan has preserved its rich tradition of artistic craftsmanship from the local woodcarvers and handicraft makers. Creative skills have lived on since the time of Royal King Newar. 

I was fortunate to visit Patan Durbar Square in 2013 before it was hit by a strong earthquake in April 2015. Some of the temples and structures were heavily damaged, but the good news is that they were reconstructed just like the original structure.

Walking on the red-tiled bricks of Patan Durbar Square, surrounded by the red wall bricks, was like stepping back in time. The fine arts and excellent craftsmanship of the past seemed to come alive, making it a truly unforgettable experience.

©️ 2021 Del Cusay