What would you think if someone told you that right now the cure for COVID-19 is in your hands? Well, I’m telling you just that! And the cure isn’t physical in nature – such as a drug or vaccine. Although social distancing and washing hands are imperative protocols, they are not the answer. The answer is MENTAL.

I was raised Christian but long ago learned to read and interpret the Bible metaphysically. And I learned that Jesus was the great example and master teacher, not “THE CHRIST” himself (or the “great exception” as many were taught). His consciousness informed him that he was one with the Infinite (God), just as he knew that was true of everyone. His message was, “the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these. . . .”(NRSV) The word “Christ” refers to neither Jesus’ last name nor his uniqueness. It refers to the Christ Consciousness – that we are one with our Creator – that is the potential in every one of us. The problem is not only has his message been misunderstood and misinterpreted for over two thousand years, but as a result relatively few of us realize and recognize the Truth of our own being.

Consider what these two words mean. Obviously “h-u-m-a-n” is their similarity, yet they have very different connotations. And I’m not talking about the definitions you’ll find in a dictionary.

As we live right now (April 2020), confronting the many challenges COVID-19 has brought our world, let’s examine ways this crisis is asking us to reclaim our humanity. It’s our very HUMAN nature to see others as different, often even as our enemies. Other individuals, other ethnic groups, other races, other languages, other nations, other political beliefs/parties, other religions – and countless other differences create prejudices, hatred, divisiveness, even war.

I came across this term, mind or mental germs, the other day. It’s such an appropriate concept to consider and explore as we move through this coronavirus pandemic. Most of us associate the word “germ” with its most common definition: a tiny life form that spreads DISEASE. But it can also refer to any small life structure that grows into something larger. A common example is a tiny seed that grows into a magnificent plant. “Germinate” is a familiar verb derivative.

Many of us realize that as innately spiritual beings we are each living this human experience to learn lessons we’ve yet to master – the lessons necessary for our souls’ growth. My soul is the eternal part of me, that forever evolving (hopefully!) ESSENTIAL ME, my God-self, as some would call it.

Today started very foggy and unusually mild in Atlanta, my home now. I returned after 3 ½ wonderful years living in Asheville, NC. And it was family, not climate, that brought me back. That move occurred just three weeks ago. But with the coronavirus outbreak in this country, those three weeks feel more like three years.