The last couple of weeks have been a slow-motion film, that everyone wants to fast-forward, but that is the only button that’s gone bad on everyone’s remote.
Irrespective of however abrupt and sudden the pandemic has been, we were quick to pick up the scattered threads of work, readjust the family life to the confined surroundings and forget the external world. Most importantly, we Indians who are prone to outside help, are managing our home without external or domestic help, unlearning, and relearning new living ways. During this period, we are rearranging our world and making it and ourselves self-sufficient for survival.
Our constraints have made us evolve and identify our needs, our consumption, our habits. Suddenly, we are happy without the desires we used to give into easily. We are introspecting, asking more critical questions about our choices so far.
The pandemic of our generation had taken us swiftly before we knew it leaving us with unknown fear and looming worries of an economic meltdown to deal with. Old habits have been replaced with new ones. For me, the start of the lockdown was about constantly checking the count of the infected in my city, country, and then compare it to the world’s count. Endless supply of theories, treatments, inspirational quotes, conspiracy theories to support rant groups on WhatsApp with never-ending memes and jokes have consumed more of my time than actual constructive work time at first.
We had our complaints, our worries, yet all of us have rebuilt our lives in this radically changing environment around us. That is the beauty of humankind; we are adaptable before anything else. Our basic survival instinct still kicks in well before we know it.
While we do it all, the visible reaction coming to all of us is feeling helpless due to our incapabilities or limitations. Lockdown has, in a way, bought all of us together on the same platform. Whatever be your economic status, professional state, in whichever part of the country you come from, we all are locked down. From social media feeds of brands to individuals flooded with the importance of lockdown, staying home, and how to look at the bright side — series of articles, webinars, and mailers coming to your way. Email signatures have a new prefix of “Stay home. Stay safe!” Everyone around is asking and saying the same thing.
What if you are not able to see it positively?
What if what is coming your way isn’t motivating you enough?
What if sporadic waves of worries take over?
What if being left alone at your home is your worst nightmare?
Let me put it out for all of you;
it is okay;
It is okay to have a sinking feeling.
It is okay to give it in.
It is okay to pull the guards down.
It is okay not to feel motivated.
It is okay to not be okay with the abruptly changing world.
It is okay to feel all of the above.
Now and again, it is allowed to complain, look for a scapegoat. An unknown microbe has put all of us in a never imagined before situation. And we have the right to feel this hidden loss. To be able to treat a wound, one must realize that there is one, and the severity of it. It is only after this realization we can work on the healing process. You can’t treat or overcome anything before the consciousness that it exists settles in.
Don’t burden yourself with the need to stay happy, like the mental state, or be motivated.
Let the actual impact of this meltdown sink it, don’t shy away by binge-watching, video calling random friends, or overeating.
For different people, the impact of this pandemic is different. Some have lost jobs; for some, their industry is suddenly irrelevant, for some meaning of life they knew is different. It is very imperative to understand this and not let it get covered under the cushion of momentary comfort. Don’t force yourself to feel otherwise, don’t be part of the cool meme culture and show the world how brave you are. You don’t need to.
Remember,
It is humane to feel;
It is humbling to acknowledge;
It is love that seeks compassion;
It is okay to mourn the loss.
Only then you can capture the severity and gather the courage to face it. Fight it, solve it, and evolve from it.
Let’s unburden and then start healing.