Our attitude about learning makes all the difference for individuals to nations globally. A child may develop a strong ego thinking they know everything yet as we get older we discover there is so much more to understand about the world that is critical for our survival. Our attitude determines if we are willing to try and fail then learn from our mistakes. If we avoid trying to learn to protect our pride from getting hurt then we are not open to learning. Some experiences are harder than others like touching a hot stove or side swiping a bridge in a car which I did one time, lucky to survive, and learned to intently focus when driving. Or if we chase after what we like all the time, such as demanding sweets or our freedom, then we may try to avoid what we do not like which is good for us. How many kids really like doing homework?

In the era of Covid-19, we are seeing how essential in person learning is for a child’s healthy development. Our son had to be home for 9 of the past 12 months. Monday this week was the first day he returned to school instead of online learning after which he said was the best day of his life! I I enjoyed my day off but had to hide by hurt pride. Kids are learning how much they love school rather than staying home and sitting in front of a computer with perpetual homework.

As part of this free, non-commercial website Conserve-Prosper.com, I have provided many educational blogs about sustainability in an effort to improve our lives and our health. I wanted to learn and share our experiences and those of others more knowledgeable than me. One year ago we learned coronavirus escaped China; the first country hit was Thailand during Chinese New Year. My wife’s relatives gave us frequent updates as they developed the response that was not shared in mainstream media in the US. We started making then wearing masks sent to us from Thailand due to the rapid shortage in America. Many people did not want to wear masks in public places as individual “freedom” trumped the Golden Rule. Even now with a new US President calling for everyone to wear a mask there are many people who refuse. Refuse is another name for garbage!

Thailand now ranks fourth best response in the world to Covid-19! People wear a mask not only to protect from the virus but from air pollution which is bad throughout Asia due to factories, vehicles, and farmers burning fields. The country enforces people getting Covid testing before entering the country with strict 14-day quarantine requirements for people coming into Thailand as well as traveling to any region within the country that has an outbreak. Going into stores, you are required to get your temperature checked and provide your name and phone number to get contacted if tracing is needed.

Thailand’s economy depends on tourism that has been decimated with entire towns shut down. However, people’s health took precedence over greed based on my observations. That seems to be the ultimate lesson that everyone from individuals to countries needs to learn from the virus. We need to be humble, remove our egos, be open to new ways of learning and living, use less, conserve more, be caring, loving and gracious, and realize that no one has freedom when we are causing others to suffer.