In the first quarter of 2020, the world found itself facing an unprecedented threat from a virus, mainly called the coronavirus and known as COVID-19 by the scientific community. The spread of the virus was a stark reminder that some elements of life benefit from order. In their book, A simpler way, Margaret J. Wheatley and Myron Kellner-Rogers have a segment that speaks to the fact that most parts of life are attracted to order.

There are creative elements of everyday life, and of course, free spirits that love to throw structure and discipline out the window. Interestingly, creative people paint from their soul and often follow a process or method perfected by others. And free spirits are glad that some structure exists so that grocery shops are stocked, and medical assistance is there when needed. Some order is required to ensure that individuals can be protected by inevitable change. Imagine if you will, the chaos that would ensue if society needed to address something like the coronavirus, if there were no order?

We enjoy a world very much where we can move freely from town to town or country to country. Order may look a little different in each country managing the COVID-19 problem. The basics are there, but a diverse world and mix of cultures will manifest a diverse set of social behaviours. It is at times like these that we most recognize our interconnections and their importance. Cross-cultural interactions require the understanding of some, often unwritten rules so that we learn and share the sensitivities of interacting with others.

In conclusion, life benefits from a tremendous amount of creativity. Yet, so much of what humans create would not work without some level of order.

Chalks Corriette is a living systems analyst and creative project office lead.