After toying with the idea of writing this post for several days…here goes…
It’s amazing how all of humanity is rolling with the punches, how in
some ways fighting a common enemy has given way to solidarity, how it’s
bringing out the charitable part in all of us, how governments have proactively
taken charge of the situation, how local authorities are putting their life in
danger at the front lines, so to speak, how companies are actually
rediscovering business continuity and exploring options that they would never
have earlier.
If nothing else, this forced confinement has slowed down the pace of
life making one acutely aware of and take time to notice things that otherwise
might just whiz past...almost as though in slow motion.
- Like discovering a true friend in an acquaintance one never had the time to get to know
- Like discovering a new skill and mental strength that you never thought you possessed
- Like hearing the rustle of leaves on trees as the wind gently blows through
- Like drawing in a long breath of fresh air
- Like looking out your window into the clear blue skies and being surprised by a beautiful bird that seems to have summoned up the courage to finally come back home
At an individual level, contentment seems to be fighting its way up
amidst other heretofore dominant qualities. How long can one be glued to the TV
or binge-watch favorite shows? It seems we are rediscovering and bringing back
some forms of entertainment, such as chess, board games, carrom board. Spending
time with family members. Dusting off the cobwebs from artwork accessories or a
long-forgotten guitar.
What do I miss the most?
- Being able to just knock on my neighbor’s door without sending them running for their masks and hand sanitizers
- Hearing the hustle and bustle of people getting ready to get to their workplaces in the morning
- Hearing my neighbor’s daughter shout out her “I love yous” as she runs off to catch her school bus
- Being able to step into a crowded lift – your only worry, the inadvertent release of flatulence
- The long queues at supermarkets
What amuses me?
- The makeshift masks people have begun sporting
- The sudden surge of YouTube videos with ideas on making masks – even from a pair of socks (hopefully clean and new, otherwise you don’t need Coronavirus to kill you)
- My by-the-books gate security guard who insists on spraying hand sanitizers at me and scans me with the thermal scanner at a safe distance of three feet somehow believing that my temperature would have shot up in the 30-minute visit to a nearby supermarket
I recently came across a video on dopamine detox – of how you can
fool your brain into enjoying simpler things https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QiE-M1LrZk&t=659s
What has changed for me?
I’m pretty much a recluse and my quick fixes are rather limited. To
destress, I like going for a drive, going to a nearby mall, going to the movies, getting
a drink, listening to music, reading, watching TV, window shopping, order in food, and placing
crazy online COD orders only to cancel them later. Since this confinement
though and most of these quick fixes being curbed now with the lockdown, I’ve:
- Started cooking, almost every day
- Controlled my quick-fix food cravings
- Started working out
- Started the process of repainting my flat
- Completed a long-overdue decluttering
- Save money!
Who knew it took Corona to finally get all those postponed
resolutions going!
