As kids, we would often watch cartoon characters gliding across cities with their capes flowing in the wind. We would see them wearing contrasts of red and blue, and in some cases, black. For years, we were made to believe that heroes are those who possess supernatural powers--may it be superhuman strength or the power of invisibility.
However, as we grow older we become more aware of life’s nuances. We become more aware of fiction and reality - and how they co-exist.
Today, as our nation grapples with the threats of a villain - an invisible enemy that is the COVID-19 - we realize that being a hero does not necessarily mean having superpowers. We realize that our modern-day heroes no longer wear capes but rather they wear lab suits and personal protective equipment (PPE). Our modern day heroes are those who choose to work despite the danger of the pandemic, those who continue to serve the Filipino people.
Our heroes are the frontliners - the health authorities, military and police personnel, journalists, food delivery drivers, government employees, bank employees, janitors, garbage truck collectors, and traffic personnel. They are the people who choose to remain in the frontlines.
This COVID-19 pandemic calls for an understanding of each other’s stories. We all have different stories of how we are dealing with the crisis. For our frontliners, their journey to work and while doing their work feel like being in a battle with the enemy, only that they do not have superpowers.
A nurse in a public hospital also fears for the health and that of her family. Walking home at night makes her worried that she might have contracted the disease.
Niceoneee