Finding Ease After Hardship

 “War is money,” conspiracy theorists like to say. For everyone else, money is simply money. It is no longer just a medium of exchange. It has become one of the main factors that shapes how our daily lives unfold.

In extreme times like these, money even becomes a measure of happiness. Some people quietly convince themselves that they do not deserve to be happy unless they possess a certain amount of it.

We cannot blame or judge those who feel this way. The level of hardship people experience across the world is not the same for everyone. Even so, the idea of “life difficulties” has recently become a common theme in many parts of the world, especially in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic.

No one simply sits still and calmly accepts such circumstances. For business owners, layoffs often become the most realistic option. For households, drastic budget cuts are the way to survive.

And in many ways, it has worked. We can say that because, so far, we have not seen suicide or depression becoming global trends alongside financial hardship. At least not on the scale many people feared.

Still, this “positive dynamic” comes with consequences. Living on a tight budget is like driving through a very narrow road. It requires extra focus and awareness to keep the journey smooth.

Yet instead of improving their driving skills, some people choose another approach. They look for ways to push other drivers off the road so their own journey becomes faster and easier.

The good news is that this is not the only way people try to create ease in the middle of hardship. 

Illustration: Telaga Rambut Monte, Blitar 

Practicing the Act of “Bringing” Ease

While financial hardship affects much of humanity, other groups face difficulties in a different form: conflict among themselves.

The people of Congo are one example. Their challenges partly stem from being a nation made up of more than 200 ethnic groups that speak around 250 different languages and dialects.

The Bakongo people were once united by a traditional belief system known as Bukongo. In this belief, ancestors and natural elements are honored so they may continue to guide and protect the living in all situations.

When the Bakongo pour water or wine onto the ground as an offering to their ancestors, they do not expect magical forces to suddenly appear and solve their problems.

In fact, “pouring away” water or wine is a significant sacrifice. The Bakongo live in an environment where nature can be harsh and resources are not always abundant.

From a modern perspective, such an act might seem wasteful or pointless. But for the Bakongo, this practice trains them to remember something important: even in the hardest conditions, their responsibilities as a community must continue.

Through this practice, they maintain balance. Balance between humans and other humans, and between humans and the natural world around them.

As a result, the Bakongo—represented by the political leadership of the Democratic Republic of Congo—did not hesitate to adopt new standards from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). These standards guide the responsible and sustainable management of their forests, which cover about 155 million hectares, or roughly 18% of the world’s tropical forests.

This approach does not forbid the government or local communities from using forest resources for shared prosperity. Instead, it encourages them to constantly ask a simple question: how much can we take without destroying the source of our livelihood?

Perspective Can “Bring” Ease

Ease after hardship rarely appears suddenly, even when we believe we are doing everything possible to create it.

Often the real problem is simpler. We fail to recognize that ease has already arrived.

Sometimes this happens because we feel too exhausted to keep facing our difficulties. At other times it is driven by many other personal factors that vary from one person to another.

The Bakongo could have chosen a different path. They could have forgotten their ancestors and sold their vast forests to investors. Wouldn’t that have been an easy way out of poverty?

Instead, the Democratic Republic of Congo chose to preserve its natural wealth. This decision came after a series of disasters caused by excessive exploitation of natural resources, disasters that claimed hundreds of lives.

That decision eventually built trust with two major global financial institutions: the IMF and the World Bank. In January 2026, both institutions agreed to raise the country’s credit rating, allowing it to access larger loans than before.

These funds are planned for infrastructure development and programs aimed at improving the welfare of the Congolese people.

And if it is embezzled? 

Those who imagine corruption as a form of “ease” offered to them are people who have forgotten balance.

And long before that, they have already forgotten their ancestors. (dswas)