Dear people of Latvia,
Easter is here. It is a special one this year. As we celebrated Christmas, few would have predicted that soon half of the world’s population, around 4 million people, would have to stay home, almost fully limiting their movement and contact with others.
All of us will emerge different from this strange period when we have had to scale back and slow down. This is a new experience, part of our common destiny that has brought us closer together.
I believe that the effect this time will have on our values, our beliefs, will be profound. But I am certain that the effect will be positive.
First, it makes us realise more clearly how fragile living and life, everything we are used to and familiar with, can be. It makes us appreciate the fact that life is unique and valuable more.
Secondly, it makes us appreciate and enjoy freedom more. Most of all the freedom to physically move outside the house and across borders. Moreover, it makes us more aware of spiritual freedom. We have an opportunity to fill our spiritual existence with something meaningful, really meaningful.
Thirdly, now that half of our life has moved from real to virtual world, we have become more aware of the value of real human interaction and conversation. We have realised that technologies allow us to keep working, learning and communicating quite efficiently. Still, it is good to know that we will see each other soon. Nothing will ever fully substitute a human being.
And, finally, now that we have had to cut back our consumption, we have realised that we actually need less than we thought. Anyway, moderation is the modern value, the way forward. It can help us slow down the pace at which we are exhausting planet’s resources. It will give us more energy to focus on quality of life – education, health, culture, environment and nature. We need to rethink values to give push to our economy too.
It is Easter time. Easter is the symbol of revival, resurrection and resurgence.
Although this year’s Easter is extraordinary, we still feel it and have every reason to contemplate it.
As history has shown so many times before, every crisis ends one day and after the crisis comes another leap.
Latvia is one of the few countries that have managed to handle the current situation with relative success. Mainly because our people have remained calm and our government’s policy has been well-considered.
That is why we have a reason to believe that Latvia could be one of those countries that recovers from crisis and gets back on an upward trajectory quickly.
On an upward trajectory. Slightly different one. Better than the one before.
I wish everyone wonderful and sunny Easter filled with plenty of contemplation and positive thoughts!