That sentimental song by Fra Lippo Lippi gets me every time. Beauty and Madness. Just wow. When I was in high school, I used to gaze up the dark night sky and wonder what the writer was going through when he penned the song. Now, as an adult, I interpreted the song, ‘Beauty and Madness’  to mean that life – both good and bad parts – are meant to be shared with someone you love because if not, life would be meaningless. Something like that. Well, that’s my interpretation and I’m sticking to it.

Anyway, my post is not really about the song, love, or life. The words, ‘Beauty and Madness’,  just keeps popping in my mind lately.

With the Covid-19 pandemic, it can be difficult to stay optimistic. Yesterday, I went to the grocery store to buy supplies and I was surprised to see people panic buying – hoarding alcohol, bottled water, tissue paper, and cleaning products. In other places, people have gone wild at grocery stores – crowds pushing each other just to be able to grab any alcohol made available to them. Madness.

In this state of madness, can beauty exist? This morning, Baguio City is placed under Community Quarantine. like many other places here in the Philippines. All citizens are advised to stay at home to support the government’s plan to contain the virus. As the number of people infected and dying rises, it seems impossible to see the light at the end of the tunnel. When will the pandemic end? No one knows but one thing is sure, if people do not cooperate, stay home, and do their own share of staying healthy, then we are doomed. This is the very test of people’s ability to unite in order to achieve a very important goal. If we can do this, then that’s beautiful. There is beauty in this madness.

Meanwhile, we can all still become productive while under house arrest. For crocheters like me, it’s really wonderful to have a craft that not only creates beautiful results but also helps calm the mind. Especially during this very stressful time when people are ready to go on a full scale panic mode. Hang in there everyone! Let’s all do our part to stay covid-free. Avoid spreading panic and spread hope instead. Love and light.