COVID-19: A Blessing In Disguise

2020 will always be remembered as a historical year filled with despair, loneliness & boredom. Healthcare workers were on duty 24/7, people lost their jobs, loved ones died & everyone was cooped up at home. No one had thought that not just a country or a continent, but the entire world would be facing the same problem at the same time. But the pandemic wasn't just a problem-- in a way, it was a solution.

People with a hectic lifestyle started slowing down & found that they had time on their hands to do whatever they wanted to. Kids who wished that there would be more holidays, or no school had their wish come true (kind of). Parents who wanted their children to go to school had to refrain them from going. Life had turned completely upside down.

At first this change was accepted happily (it's not like we had an option anyway), but as the deaths increased, so did the lockdown. And the increasing lockdown increased not only the negativity, but also creativity. We started to explore & try new activities, some which we might've never imagined we'd do. With free time on our hands, we learnt new skills & tried our luck at numerous things-- from baking & learning new languages to setting up businesses!

The outlook towards life changed quite a bit. Nature was given space to thrive. Many of us realized that 'unimportant' things like going for a stroll are, in fact, important. We shared our stories, got inspired & inspired others. There were online family reunions & we suddenly found ourselves chatting with forgotten names in our contact list. Though everyone was at home, there was a mutual bond of understanding between people all around the world.

Every action has a reaction. As our world became limited to our home & the nearest grocery store, it also expanded. We learned to do something for ourselves & reached out to help others as well. The physical limitations pushed creative limitations to such an extent that they ceased to exist.

After the lockdown ended, masks, hand sanitizers, social distance & numerous other rules were accepted as the 'new normal'. But all of us wished to go back to the 'old normal' because though change is much needed, it's also hard. If we reflect on what happened during those 3 years, we can see that we learnt innumerable lessons. We learnt to take a break once in a while & do something for others. We learnt to find hope in despair & be grateful for what we have. And most importantly, we first handedly experienced how beautiful life & humanity are & how lucky we are to still be breathing. 

It's hard to look past the negative side of things. But if you do, you might just realize how to stop surviving & start living.