Doesn’t this feel like one of those history classes that didn’t seem to end? Remember how those 45 mins felt like decades?
This lockdown is definitely not one of the many good things that have happened to mankind but has brought to life many of the simplest things which we have been overlooking for a long time now. Any chapter: good or bad teaches us something worth the pain, helps us pass the test.
With the larger group of people talking about how this pandemic has vandalized the world and the consequences we are to face in the near future, I would like to discuss about the minute yet significant things it has taught us. This apocalypse is thought to have a major impact on our lifestyle. Surely, the world is going to be a different place and so are we! Amongst the numerous profound changes, I have taken it to myself and listed some positive changes of substantial importance, in this blog, that will make us better beings.
1) United, we stand
From providing aid to staying indoors the first and foremost thing we have learned is to stand together, help one another and fight as a single strong force. We have finally understood the importance of all those stories we used to hear as kids. It is sad that we needed a life experience to learn it. With all the hatred on hold, this palpable pandemic has forced nations to come together and help save lives. We have understood our existence as a species over natives, a subject long forgotten.
2) Not so petty anymore!
In these dark times, all the jobs that were looked down upon proved to be of utmost importance. Hope, humans will open their eyes, widen their vision and get out to truly acknowledge these jobs instead of looking down upon them. No matter where they live: costliest house in Dubai or a 1bhk flat in Sri Lanka, after this, people will take up these jobs atleast at personal levels. Washing utensils, cleaning the floors, the change is already here.
3) Give a hand, take a hand
We will become more generous than we were ever before. The crude, horrid demon which has been growing inside us for years now will die during this lockdown. The age of Ragnarök is finally here! We will have less greedy and more thankful netizens around the globe. The time of crisis has taught us the importance of resources, rather remnants. Lesser the needs, sturdier the humans!
4) Alert and awake
Vigilant nationals fall under this category. From now onwards, we will be more cautious about our surroundings, both personal and communal. We will be more responsible towards our society and equally accountable for the decisions me make. We will have people who will thoroughly ponder over the consequences before utilization of available assets. After a long, long time, we will find ourselves to be truly considerate about everything around us.
5) Change of priorities
Some major priority changes will take place after this period. Health will find itself before money. Life will take over the gear and work will take a back seat. Balance will reign once again. This is something which seemed almost impossible a short time ago. With this world running fast, faster than our pace, faster than this earth could take, lockdown has helped bring it to a standstill. It has made us realize that there can be no wealth without health. For the first time, people seem to care more about life than status and class. No matter if one is rich or poor, this pandemic is making everyone feel alike: helpless.
6) Stand and stare
Not a major yet an important change. People will take out time to admire things. They will start enjoying minute things which they had been ignoring before. First time in a very long time, people will be happy to feel the grass between their toes, the wind gushing against their faces and more. People will cherish things, stand and stare at sunsets more often. Worth mentioning. Isn’t it? It is because for once, we will realize that there is so much more to life.
7) Little things
Similar to the one mentioned above, this change also helps bring out the happiness within us. Not a pomp show, but true feelings will matter more. In this world full of delusions, we will search for realities, no matter how harsh they are. We will start enjoying the smile of a child, the anger of a teenager and the tears of an elder. This more abstract version of ‘stand and stare’, which feels like contemplation, will bring in peace and calm within us, something which we have been looking for since ages.
8) Time to learn
Talents have got their portion of time during this period of distrust. All hobbies which came out of the locked drawers fall under this category. This lockdown proved to be a quality time in disguise for many activities which were long forgotten and left unattended to rot amidst the dirt and dust of this world. Unconventional learning is something which will grow with us.
9) Touch and feel
Snaps, video calls, long phone-calls; nothing can bring the joy of a hug. This pandemic has made us understand and realize that virtual world can never replace the real world and never give us the warmth of a human touch. After this time is over, people will actually take out time and meet people in person. Reunions, road trips will find their place on calendars. Watching Harry Potter together in the living room or playing dumb-charades together will no longer be a fantasy. People will start celebrating festivals together. “Too far yet too close” won’t be a myth anymore!
10) Symbiosis
Survival of the fittest isn’t the way of the earth. In our run for power, we forgot that we need others for our survival. We disrupted eco-systems, over-utilized the resources, ruined lives jeopardized our surroundings and imperilled this world. We forgot that we don’t have the right to destroy something which we cannot build and thus, dug our own graves. After all this is over, we will start over again and this time not through the means of oppression.
11) Its healing
Apart from all these changes a major change we will always be thankful for is healing of the environment. The waters are becoming clearer, ozone is forming itself again and species are returning. This pandemic solved, reduced to be precise, a major issue at hand namely global warming in a way we couldn’t have been able to do!
These are the small things that took time to be understood.
But haven’t humans always learnt the simplest of things the hard way?
We should take this as a lesson and try not to repeat it ever again. No one wants to be locked up like this again. We should make this lockdown worth the time we have already wasted. We cannot afford another lockdown to open our senses.
If we observe closely, we have only reaped what we had sown. Nature returned the fruits of the seeds we have been planting for more than 20 years now in less than a year and they taste sour. Pretty isn’t it, how we got to taste our own medicine? If nothing else, this pandemic has tried to stabilize our eco-systems that were successfully disrupted by man. The animals are returning to their homes, the ones rejuvenated during this period. Our restrictions have led to the freedom of the others we had once suppressed. The earth is round and everything is supposed to make its way back sooner or later. We killed other beings, made them fly and hide deep inside.
It’s returning. All of it.
And all we can do is take time and atone.
Hope you paid attention because, History tends to repeat itself when one doesn’t pay attention in the history class.
Stay home, stay safe.
-CC-
(Images Source: Google)
Anonymous
Dayatva 