Humans are survivors, testament to the fact there are more than 7 billion people now living on our small little planet.

Through the centuries there have been many depressions, the name or incident really are irrelevant. What is relevant is how we go about the survival process.

We are adaptors, we take on challenges and we look at defeat in the eyes with a wry smile as if to say I dare you, try and beat us.

There are old sayings like, "when the going gets tough the tough get going", or "slow and steady wins the race", or one of my favourites, "it's not over until it's over".

When there is so much uncertainty as there is now it is hard to stay positive and focused on what we have instead of what we do not have, that is a very normal human behaviour and you would not be alone in those thoughts. Sometimes, it's not easy to find a silver lining among the negativity or when adverse incidents occur as they are now, however even with all the perceived doom and gloom there are some silver linings.

1. Communities, towns, regions, states and countries are now working as a unified group. Adversity spawns creative thinking, which usually results in positive solutions, solutions that are usually ongoing and become regular practice in our daily lives. But it all starts with the power of one, YOU!

2. Stronger relationships get built as we strive for the same outcomes, health, happiness and financial prosperity.

The latter may not come so easily for some, which is why when those relationships strengthen so too does the burden of support increase, as we are seeing globally from organisations, governments and individuals who have the means to do so.

3. Respect for others increases - why? Mainly as we see how critical incidents such as COVID-19, opens our eyes to the pain and suffering others may be facing or dealing with regardless of social stature. One might say we sympathise or have empathy, this may be true but moreover we show through our actions the kindness and support through a respectful posture because without respect the others simply are just "words".

4. We become more compassionate and willing to share with others who are less fortunate. Compassion is generated directly from our soul/heart, the reason we feel warm and fuzzy inside when we practice the art of compassion, nice feeling.

COVID-19 was the starting point; we still have no end point but as the resilient humans we are, with some of the smartest people the planet has ever seen working on this case, the light at the end of the tunnel is most certainly getting closer and closer.

C.S. Lewis' stated: "There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind." We are in a new age, one that will see significant advancement as a society, as humans.

Many will understand this and have, like myself, been preparing for this day in our spiritual advancement or evolvement. All our indigenous elders have been telling us maybe, even warning us, of this inevitable course of humanity.

Whatever you believe in believe in this, humanity will change, it will change for the better. Yes, there will be that pain to gain, but if we have faith in each other than that burden of pain will not be so hurtful.

The loss of life will be our ultimate pain however as a western culture, as we are, we need to take a page out from our indigenous cultures and celebrate the life of those we will lose, they deserve that at the very least.

Once we understand this we will be happy to shed a tear for the sacrifices that our Prime Minister's grandmother and the many others throughout the years had to endure to make us the resilient people we are today.

So, look for the silver lining it is there in many more ways than you can sometimes imagine.

Dr Anthony Perrone is college counsellor at Trinity Anglican College. The views expressed are Dr Perrone's and not necessarily those of Trinity Anglican College.