Commentary by Swallow Xu*
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,
it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness,
it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity,
it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness,
it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair,
we had everything before us, we had nothing before us,
we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way
– Charles Dickens
Dickens’ words in A Tale of Two Cities, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times” were catch phrases widely used by Chinese netizens during the country’s previous economic boom. It kind of showed Chinese people’s bold stance on the ever-changing tide in an unprecedented era.
Above all, these Dickens lines look so appropriate to describe the present, but all the verbs should be changed to present tense.
In the millennia-long human history, each man/woman is a witness to the epoch he/she is in: bad, good, cheerful, sad, sour, bitter, beautiful, tragic…a mix of these. It can’t be totally good or bad.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic that has been sweeping across the world, in the aftermath of the shocking Beirut explosion, Japan marks the 75th anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bombing.
What causes all these disasters? Why so much pain and suffering in the world?
Buddhism can blame them on humanity’s collective karma, explaining that they are happening because of a complex interconnection of causes and conditions created by mankind. Buddhism believes that during difficult times, the idea of collective karma can help us transcend division and cultivate love for ourselves and each other.
At this time of turbulence, confusion, anxiety and whatever you name it, when normalcy and routines are uprooted and upside down, that’s the least I/we can believe and practise.
Let’s navigate through our best and worst times…
It is the best of times, it is the worst of times,
it is the age of wisdom, it is the age of foolishness,
it is the epoch of belief, it is the epoch of incredulity,
it is the season of Light, it is the season of Darkness,
it is the spring of hope, it is the winter of despair,
we have everything before us, we have nothing before us,
we are all going direct to Heaven, we are all going direct the other way.
Excuse me for being a copycat.
*The author is a Macau-based travel writer and commentator
