Dear Humanity,
I am Peace, it feels weird I am writing you a letter. It is unusual and uncommon to write a letter to humanity as a whole. I never thought I will be addressing humanity as a whole as that’s not the case generally. I thought its time I should write to you for humans have almost forgotten my importance since the time of civilization. It is obvious that I can’t reach you completely as you consist of each person who are alive and the ones who lived once. I also wrote this for the ones to be born soon.
Every new century you prefer your materialistic life over me. To remind you of my significance, my value for an amazing life, you are punished by nature in several ways. Remember “the Black Death”? It was a pandemic that ravaged Europe from 1347 to 1351. The Black Death (also known as the Pestilence, the plague, or the Great Mortality) was a Bubonic Plague resulting from an infection with the bacterium (Yersinia Pestis). The outbreak of the plague took a toll on life and disrupted the peaceful existence of the world. The plague led to religious, social, and economic instability with a great impact on European History.
I agree that it all started from a flea but you decided to turn it into a disaster. You were the reason behind the epidemic, you are the one to carry it to different parts of the world. Your desire to destroy your enemies was stronger than your inner sympathetic nature. When the Black Death destroyed the army of the Kipchak Khan Janibeg while he besieged the Genoese trading port of Kaffa in Crimea. Janibeg catapulted many Corpse who were infected by the plague into the town to infect and destroy his enemies. Genoese ships then carried the epidemic towards the Mediterranean ports where it spread inland affecting Sicily, North Africa, Italy, Spain, France, and other low land countries. The reservoir hosts of the Yersinia Pestis were rats and the primary vector was the Oriental Rat flea. The plague was then carried to southwestern countries through the shipping route. London experienced the worst outcome between February and May 1349. Then by 1350, the Black Death reached England. Over the period the plague was introduced to Europe multiple times and the Black Death was followed by other plagues.
The Black Death is estimated to have killed 30 to 60 percent of the European Population. Even when the mortality rate grew simultaneously differing from place to place due to the pandemic, humans were more occupied with thoughts of wars and trade. The Jewish communities were blamed and got killed by mobs. The artisans and peasants rose immediately after the Black Death. Though this ruined the lives of many landowners, it did bring changes to the hitherto rigid stratification of society.
You are unique in your ability to use technology. Yet, your anger peaked over your other emotions that you temporarily mistrusted your brothers and sisters. Even after the Black Death, the priests, the beggars were persecuted. Where was humanity? The world needed me then but your actions resulted in a massacre. Humanity has the power to conquer the world, your presence has transformed the world. But are you happy with such a transformation? Only a few I would say. The death toll wasn’t enough to make you realize the need of the hour which was healing of the world. The religious rivalry wasn’t necessary at all, the horrendous act of mythical belief, the Jews were accused of poisoning the wells and the foodstuff, none intervene to protect the Jews.
The consequences of the Black death were increased hatred, blame, and violence on a more horrific scale than by any other epidemic and pandemic in world history. Though massacres didn’t occur in Europe, anti-social consequences were extremely pervasive Europe. The fear created in the minds of the people who were alive was horrible. The “unheard of contagion” resulted in an inhuman act against those who were sick. Humanity could be seen nowhere, no love towards your neighborhood, relatives, and even family. Even parents showed unwillingness in taking care of their children, it was then I realize humanity is gone. There were unending stories of abandonment by family members.
So, go back to the role of Humanity, don’t make the same mistakes again. Be it the present geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine or COVID-19 parallels the situation of the Black Death. Stop the blame game, avoid war and violence, it is time to join hands for harmony and heal the world. Your actions now will transform the world, the impact of which will be still visible millions of years from now. Imperfect Humanity, I know you have realized the need to save this world, I hope you start working on it.
“Save the world”
“Just like you need the world to live in, the world needs you in return”.
Yours sincerely,
Peace.