I consider myself the luckiest of the present generations. Neither
were we as poor as our parents during their childhood nor did we have or get
everything as the kids these days have or get.
However, there is certainly one mistake which all the three
generations present today have made - we have taken nature and our freedom for
granted. Never really cared about it particularly or gave it a second thought. Despite
knowing that mother nature can take her own course and become vengeful.
So, all of us are under it now. No one – atleast those who
are not classified as ‘essential services worker’ are part of the ‘Stay home,
stay safe’ strategy to tackle COVID-19. Even those who are essential services
live in the fear when the infection will strike them.
It is said that you can learn a lot from your enemies. As we
fight one of the biggest threats of the modern era, we are being taught a lot
of important lessons by the virus and subsequently – the lockdown .
Lockdown has made us stay home –– Made these happen and taught
us the following lessons:
Do not underestimate the small and lowly beings of this
earth. Remember that red ants have been known to bring down large African elephants
to their knees by biting them inside their trunks. Need I say more? Stay alert
and never let your guard down.
No going outside unless absolutely necessary, not to waste
energy and not to waste precious fuel. Just how good can the AQI be in Mumbai
when there are less vehicles on the road !!
Spend time with family. How many of us actually get this
much time in one month to spend time with your family? How many of us
workaholics know which board game our kids actually like? How many of us really
talk to our parents – what they feel, what they would like to do, what are the hobbies
that they still pursue?
Bring only those supplies which are necessary to sustain us.
Don’t be greedy and buy all sorts of eatables from the junk shelves – in case
they make you sick and a corona suspect !!
Stop eating outside food – since no restaurants are open and
the home delivery restaurants also have large waiting time or their delivery
personnel are working in shifts.
Use your mobile phones, home PCs, laptops with extra care –
if something happens to it during lockdown, who will repair them? All repair
shops are closed. And we all know that we will just die if we don’t have
internet or our mobile phones!!
Discover the joy of doing nothing. From a very young age we
are taught to be busy, but no one ever teaches us how to do nothing !! Do it
now.
Do the dishes ourselves – No maids coming.
Try your hand at cooking – you will appreciate the
dedication, hardwork and the expertise of a housewife !!
Watch the movies which you always wanted to on Netflix.
Record a song on Smule – who knows, maybe you are just a tad
bit more talented than a bathroom singer !!
Play those PC games, which you might probably not have
played since your college days !!
Practise Yoga and pranayam at home. Maybe you neglected it
till now because of work. You will discover the joy and start doing it regularly
when this is over !!
So many things – unexplored, unknown, unchartered. A time of
realisations, a dawn of self discoveries, a once in a lifetime opportunity to
do so much for oneself. Let mankind
thrive and death to the enemy virus !!
