Shelter-in-place. Quarantine. Lockdown. Whatever the name, we are enduring this time of isolation for the sake of our brothers and sisters. And it is working! We are slowing the spread and flattening the curve. Our sacrifice is undoubtedly saving lives.
But what about the collateral damage of our pandemic response? How many siblings will succumb to treatable illnesses, because they are afraid to go to a hospital? How many siblings will be drawn to suicide, because this is the straw that breaks the camel's back? How many siblings will be pushed into starvation, because they lack the basic resources needed to survive an economic shutdown? When all this is over, and the balance sheets have been tallied, will the cure have been worse than the disease?
Every human intervention comes with a cost. And too often, we leap into action without considering the nature of that price or whether it is worth paying. This is partly due to our overly exuberant faith in the power of smart people and smart ideas. It is also, however, the product of our tendency to value some siblings more than others.
Should we have acted differently? Probably not. We did what we had to do to rescue the siblings in front of our faces. But when that new day dawns, which it inevitably will, let us temper our celebrations with a bit of melancholy; for our victory shall come, as they often do, with a horrid price tag. And when the next enemy appears on the horizon, which they inevitably will, let us put on the armor of humility before we run off to battle.