The entire nation on lockdown and the deserted roads and public places make us introspect and look at life differently. A few months ago, humans were the most sophisticated of all species found on Earth.
“The hardest walk is walking alone but it’s also the walk that makes you the strongest.”
They called themselves social animals, socializing was the norm for our society. Office, parties, business trips, social trips, gatherings, political rallies, picnics, visiting public places, the occasions were endless. Then corona happened! One disease united the entire humanity and left us all stranded in social distancing.
The roads, the alleys, the parks, the schools, the malls, the hospitals, the temples, the villages, the cities, the countries, and the continents, everything went into isolation. People got locked inside their houses which otherwise were only used as resting nests at nights. Maintaining distancing was the new norm and the new medicine for people!
I remembered the happiness coaches who used to preach meeting with friends and family for our mental well-being. Suddenly physical well-being meant a lot more than mental wellness for us. If we were alive then we had the world to conquer in the times of the worst pandemic that ever-affected humanity, claiming more than 1 lakh lives the world over.
The rains, the dust storms, the weather, the blooms, the flora, the fauna everything remained as it is except the human races. Reminded me of the torture and the exploitation that humans have caused on Mother Nature. Our extravagant ways have caused many grave imbalances from time to time. Was this a way for her to give us back? Or was it World War 3 that people were so referring to?
Never the less, one thing that became of all this was our fast lives, turned into slow-paced ones. Most people worked from home and they started sharing the workload of the household chores. My friends from the opposite sex also stated that they now realized what a stay in home mom and Work From Home mom does the whole day.
Women who highly depended on maids, now managed their homes themselves and some of them felt liberated like never before. Their lives were now under their control. People turned master chefs preparing savories that otherwise were ordered from their favorite eating joints earlier. Homes started looking like homes, loved ones started eating and spending quality time together and all thanks to the lockdown.
Some resorted to art and craft while others read books, some exercised while some watched old movies instead of being glued to their work on laptops or mobiles. People left behind the idea of running for bread and butter, rather they saved for one day at a time. They felt at peace of being in good health and forgot about the worldly pleasures. The European trip or the Armani suit no longer lured them.
The fat paycheque did not matter either. Only that much mattered which was required to sort out the bare minimum necessities of life. What mattered more was this life. The life that we have, the breath that we have and that we are alive. Alive to our senses, alive to see the daylight, alive to feel the pleasures of life, alive to be with our loved ones, alive to be loved back and to love. All the complaints vanished; the qualms ended. Life was certainly a gift.
People had the time, all the time in the world during this pandemic lockdown. Time for their loved ones, time for family, friends but on one condition. The time had come to have the time of the world available but with a clause of not meeting anyone. The time had come for social distancing.
How ironical the situation was? Some months back, when the news was reported of pollution levels across cities. India was topping the charts, especially New Delhi, it’s capital. People took to there once in a year routine of wearing masks. Some people went to the hills to catch up with some fresh air while some didn’t bother at all. Some sophisticated people opened oxygen bars claiming to provide pure oxygen for the lungs.
Now the pollution levels have gone down due to the lockdown. Wild animals are walking on the streets, Deer’s are dancing on beaches, the air quality index has improved. Yet, the masks are still out. Not one, not two but every poor, rich, fat, fit, dark, fair person from any caste or creed wears the mask. My heart sinks at the thought, is this the new norm?
Soon, will there be colorful and fancy masks available in the market for sale? As the need be, people might want to opt for masks of various sizes, shapes or patterns. Will masks turn into a fashion statement too? Remembering the lines from the famous MJ song, “Heal the world, make it a better place, for you and for me and the entire human races.”
With the COVID-19 virus engulfing all the citizens of each and every country. It is now time for a miracle. It is now time for the Almighty to save humanity. For God, to intervene and save the species called homo sapiens. Endangered? Are we?
This pandemic might have spread a lot of fear among humans for their lives. But the lockdown definitely spreads positivity and positive vibes only. It has instilled hope and faith in human minds of the belief that after the darkest of days there will be brighter times. That this shall pass away sooner than you thought.
One day people would again meet each other, malls and public places would again be flocked and places of worship would again open for gatherings. With that hope, continue living and enjoying the simple joys of life. Enjoy the time that you have now and keep doing something productive during this lockdown. Spend quality time with your people and do your bit by staying home and staying safe.
Remember,
“The comeback is always stronger than the setback. We are all in this together!”
Tanusri Chakraborty With Her Son, Founder of Winning Stree
Author – Tanusri Chakraborty
