Dear Yuri,
When I was a child, I wanted to become an astronaut.
It all started when I was 6 years old and I asked my father what a spaceship was. Today, I am a pharmacist and at 43, I am still fascinated by space and how space technology revolutionized our culture as a species.
So why is it Yuri that in spite of having developed astounding technologies, we are still caught up in our limited beliefs and the folly of human conceit? There is much romanticism about human endeavours yet what is our destined path if we have forgotten compassion?
Since the beginning of this crisis, I have been unable to look out of my window and observe the world as much as I would like to because just as you were asked so many questions on your return from space, I too am being asked questions as a pharmacist; daily panicked questions, anxious questions and frightened questions. I am never really off duty and I feel the burden of this truly life changing event. What I do see however is a new kindness and vigilance towards neighbours, strangers and family members.
So maybe there is hope.
So Yuri, I reflect on my passion to become an astronaut and I wonder whether my life would have been more fulfilled. I take a deep breath and quietly observe the here and now, I ponder over the questions that people have asked me and the advice and reassurance that I have been able to give them and conclude that I may be contributing more to the common good by being a pharmacist.
One thing Yuri, my life definitely feels like a rocket ride at the moment and I look forward to when this space flight is over.