The personal and economic devastation wrought by COVID-19 has released the inherent caring nature of humankind. Worldwide, kindness is being given in levels only witnessed at times of disaster. People are giving generously to those in need. Workers in essential services are risking their own wellbeing to protect others. It is in the nature of us all.

Yet we see little of this caring when there is no disaster. Somehow we are able to immediately switch it off and resume our more selfish ways. We deny our very nature. Let’s not make this mistake again as we emerge from the COVID-19 disaster.

It is a disaster that is not localised, but global. Combining this reality with global networking presents a unique opportunity. After this disaster we do not need to retreat to our political localities, we have a global social network that can unite like-minded people. Across nations we can commit to a Lifestyle of Caring. A Lifestyle where we are measured by the kindness we show others, not the wealth we create for ourselves.

It is a Lifestyle that was emerging and gaining ground before COVID-19. We saw it in the fight against climate change,  movements for the protection of minorities, initiatives to address Gender Based Violence; to stop cruelty to animals and many, many others. A groundswell of realisation that way we have been living is wrong; we have wealth enough; we can afford to care about others and the world we live in. We can be caretakers of the world around us instead of destroyers of it.

We are witnessing that kindness is intuitive, it is the natural way of things. “Caretakers of Creation” – A Lifestyle for those who Care,  reviews a sequence of episodes from the Old Testament to illustrate that this is by no means the first time that humankind has lost its moral compass and draws lessons from each that are then applied to our lives to-day. 

It advocates that each individual must immediately start taking responsibility for the lives they lead, rather than satisfy themselves that they are only doing as others do. It provides guidelines on day to day decision making in to-day’s world.

Life is not a spectator sport. Use these guidelines to step forward and play your role.