On March 24, as Indians glued to their TV screens, anxiously waiting for Honourable Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi to address the nation on what would India’s next step be to combat the coronavirus after the much dramatic ‘Janta Curfew’, there was panic yet hope amongst the millions across the country. After all, a pandemic so catastrophic had never been envisioned in anyone’s grey cells before; probably by both the bureaucrats and the deprived.
We’re Limited By Our Anatomy, Mentality And Reality
The 21-day lockdown that was announced, certainly essential considering the highly transmissible nature of the virus and ceaseless cases of infected patients, forced me to set out to buy my last set of necessities. As a young girl in my early twenties, this whole venture of buying the ‘mere’ things was going to be a new one, both an experience of learning and fear.
Trodding along the usual footpath with the N95 on, a multitude of people greeted my already frantic mind. The small grocery store where hardly four people would come at once was now serving 30 people altogether in addition to other many waiting to be served. The panic was justified which later became evident in their voices that asked for things each one wanted to buy. The empty shelves, the faces veiled with masks and the frenzy of customers were the testimony of the horrendous nature of the virus, the killer of many, sparing none. Profusely sweating beneath the mask, a 45-minute wait finally yielded my purpose and then on my way back I wondered, “All the time I had always wished for, is it this to be?”
The quarantine period is indeed the most glorious time of life if we look at it from another perspective. Yes, indeed this is the time we always wished for and should have because it mirrors our mere existence as any other life form. Though we may have the most complex brain and be the smartest life forms in the entire realm of mankind, yet we are not above any other life form howsoever. We may be 100 times bigger and stronger, but we are limited by our anatomy, mentality, and reality.
We have also set another epitome of hypocrisy. We always bemoaned of not having enough time for ourselves nor family nor friends. Neither enough to enrich our raw talents nor enough to discover interests. It is pretty justifiable for almost all age groups and people belonging to different sections of society. But, the damn minute virus that has brought our bustling lives to halt raises pertinent questions about what we always wanted. And yes, the virus has given us all the me-time we wished. The netizens who hated socializing and loved the Internet services are now dramatically whining about this lockdown. Times are indeed challenging but to bemoan is not an option. Patience and precaution is the key. Use your privileges wisely!
This Virus Has Forced Us To Take A Look At Ourselves And Our Choices
Countries at loggerheads with one another, manipulating their strategies to suit their best interests, dominating one another, waging proxy wars, shelling out and killing scores of common men in the name of security, have all bowed before this virus. The boundaries we etched, the rules we engraved and the norms we set, that decide who would be rich or poor, had made us forget the fact of life; our mere existence as human beings first. Emphasis on race, caste, gender, financial health made us forget that the entire mankind is one and no one is above before the divine force of nature. We have the same innards, same mechanism, and same emotions; yet how often have we used this as a reason to unite and not divide?
Poverty is the most inhumane element in society. The pandemic has been proving debilitating to the impoverished; in every sense, both financially and emotionally. And the rich shall have a chance to combat the virus. In most cases, the rich have proved to be more advantageous over the destitute, be in terms of privileges or the damn virus. The division of society so explicit has never been so clear as now.
‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbukam’, one of the most revered phrases of Hindu texts has been long forgotten and this is what the pandemic reminds us today. We have forgotten our existence as a mere animal; an animal made by the same force that created the coronavirus, that probably used its intelligence sometimes for devastation and at other times for the welfare of mankind. And this is when professions like medicine, police force, journalists and service providers (garbage collectors, grocers, vegetable vendors, cylinder suppliers, etc) are bravely defying the danger of fatality to continue to serve us selflessly. Let us hope and pray for the better health of everyone around the world. As Baha’u’llaah, founder of the Baháʼí Faith said, “The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established.”
Take a moment and contemplate upon “All The Time I Had Always Wished For, Is It This To Be?” Take care!