I question myself every night before going to bed, “Are we doomed?” It seems that in the outbreak of the pandemic, COVID-19 has seized everything that was going on in the country and the world. It is hard for one to even accept that this is our reality now; that we are going through this phase. There is a constant fear in people about the lockdown. They fear that it might extend up to several months even if it is not mentioned anywhere in the news. But seeing the conditions around the world have made us overthink and react in the same way.
The fear is not just about the present situation but also about the future. What will happen when all of this ends? Today, I was talking to my neighbour who works at Decathlon she said that she was afraid of being laid off. I fear what will happen to the daily wage labourers? I fear that once all of this is over, people will come out strangely. I fear that rapists will come out and they’ll rape more than ever as in this period they didn’t rape anybody. And with time, this fear will consume people. There are days when we lose hope completely. We lose hope of seeing our loved ones again who are far from us.
On the other hand, it is strangely weird how we, as a nation, as common people, have come out of our homes to help the most vulnerable sections of society. I feel that it is the common man and NGOs that are helping the marginalised section out there. It is because of their unity and support that people who have been walking back towards their hometowns got food. It is because of their hard work that people are getting meals. If it had not been for them, the migrant labourers would have died of hunger.
I have come across people who are using this isolation and quarantine in the best possible way. Taking my example, if it had not been quarantine, I would have never written this piece due to low confidence and self-doubt. But it is the fear of death that has hit me. At times I feel as if this is the end and that now, I should face my insecurities.
Last but not least, I would take a moment and appreciate everybody who is out there, right from the police officials and doctors to the common man helping us fight against this havoc. And I urge the citizens of our nation to take care of themselves and be at home. People suffering from mental health issues, I urge you to seek help and consult counsellors so that you can express and vent out what you feel.