The thought of staying at home can be very daunting for any working professional. I don’t remember a time when I have been at home for more than three days straight. Even long weekends would mean taking a city break and exploring the hilly neighbourhood, a short drive away. So this quarantined life is sort of new for me, like most of us.
As a working mom, life for me has always been about rushing. From waking up with a jolt to rushing to school to make it in time; from getting the tasks done in office to be able to make it home before dinner time. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? That was our life till two weeks ago. We had stopped living our lives to earn more money and today we have stopped earning to save our lives. What an irony, isn’t it?
The Perils Of The Lockdown
As nations worldwide stand still, I look outside my window and wonder when was the last time I stood here and heard the birds chirping or the bees buzzing. I wake up every morning thinking of new ways to feed my family. Spending time with my daughter is no longer restricted to just homework and feeding, we have progressed to playing football and also learning piano at home. My husband and I would only meet on weekends but now we have been having date nights over a continental meal. My outfit of the day & night has been the same – my good old pajamas. I also realise that productivity can be same or in some cases, even better by working from home. My team and I are completely co-ordinated on execution of tasks and also implementation. And even amidst all this, I am able to listen to my favourite music, work out, read a book or sometimes do nothing.
Streets Are Empty but Homes Are Bustling
The streets of India may be empty but the homes are bustling. Busting with laughter & joy, board games and video calls, music & dancing and ofcourse a bit of dusting, sweeping and swabbing.
Kids are happier that mummas and daddies are at home playing with them. Parents are cheerful without too much of office or travelling stress. Couples are spending more time together and dividing responsibilities. Grandparents or elders at home are being taken special care of. It’s the first time that none of us are sensing the fear of missing out (FOMO) because the only thing you would miss out on by staying at home is a disease, none of us want to encounter. So we are NOT stuck at home. We are truly SAFE at home with people we love. I don’t remember a time when we consciously made health as our biggest priority and hygiene as our responsibility.
When All This Is Over
I believe, like most other calamities, this one too shall end. Schools will reopen and kids will be able to go to the playgrounds. Restaurants and bars will start filling up soon. Business will get back on track. We will all get our jobs back with the compensation that we deserve. Economy will start flourishing once again. Deadlines & conference room meetings will come haunting too. Hanging out with friends won’t be restricted to video calls alone and the streets will be crowded too. And this lock down will be a DISTANT MEMORY. Yes, that is coming very soon.
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As much as I can’t wait for that moment, I also think I am going to miss this unusual and special circumstances that we are all in. Being locked up in our homes with our loved ones is something that neither mine or my parents have experienced before. While I also understand and sense the insecurity and fear we are living in, nation, city and even housing societies have come together as a community, even in this chaos.
Found My Mojo In Stillness
I am probably the most restless person who is constantly thinking of ways to be productive. I would often feel guilty for sitting idle and would always think of ways of being more useful. While mother nature has got us to a point to make us realise we are at her (and virus’) mercy. And no matter how much we plan, life will have its own way to lock us down, quite literally! Lets focus on the positive side and enjoy this special family time sans the negativity being spread on social media and WhatsApp groups. After all they say, what you think, you attract.
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I know that this lock down is going to end soon and our lives will return to normal one day. We will think about all the Coronavirus memes and whatsapp forwards that made us laugh in this period. And even come up with better ones missing this period. So how about we surrender? Surrender to this calmness, limit exposure to news, and experience this slow life to recharge our batteries.
And to be honest, in this quarantined time, I found my new mojo in stillness. I am going to have hard time adjusting back to my regular life once the lock down is lifted.
Until then, stay home and stay safe. That’s the best service you can do to yourself and the nation. Isse ache din kaha aayenge? :)
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