A devastating virus, Covid-19, has taken over our lives and put a stop to the world as we knew it. Borders have closed, stores have shuttered. Restaurants, cafes and bars have fallen silent. Schools and offices have emptied, barred from allowing students and workers to enter. More than 4 billion people are under stay-at-home order across the world. Such a radical transformation of the societal, economic, social and psychological status quo has rarely, if ever, been experienced. These are dark times. Instead of counting country medal counts at the Olympics, we are counting deaths. The pundits, who were all boasting about the economy as stock markets hit record highs, are now seeing the economy crumble before their eyes. Less a granite monument, more like a house of cards. The Queen, for only the third time in history, has given a national address, hoping to steady the resolve of her nation. Yet, all across the world, stories are coming in and being lifted up that tell not a story of despair but rather of hope, of support, of connection.
At eight PM, we gather, like so much of the rest of the world to applaud the heroes on the front lines. In Paris, this means seeing, for the first time, the faces of our neighbors that have so long hidden behind closed curtains, long days and differering schedules. Our street has become a little micro-community. We remark often how we have never felt more connected, more tied to the place we call home. We are among the lucky whose sole role in helping the world handle this crisis is to stay home.
This has allowed time for reflection and we have slowly learned to adapt. This feeling of being anchored is also being reflected in how we remain connected to those who do not happen to live on our block. Staying inside has not meant being shuttered out of society. The world goes on in a different sphere, the internet.
The advances of the 21st Century have truly shown their revolutionary value during this time. Conference rooms have been transformed into Zoom portals. Classrooms have become digital workshops. Cocktail hour now takes place on FaceTime. Connectivity has made this all possible. GoBox has long understood this power of connectivity. The principles GoBox has been preaching around keeping in touch with loved ones no matter how much distance separates you, working and learning from wherever you are and being able to find your way in strange unknown worlds. Although GoBox currently has few travelers to connect, we remain firm believers in the power of these principles.
GoBox takes heart in this newfound understanding of connectivity, and continues to build on its mission to provide it fairly and equitably to whoever may be in need.