It’s almost 18 days of lockdown and as I nip yet another urge to run to the kitchen to prepare another gourmet meal (that I so do NOT want to eat keeping in mind my growing waist line) out of sheer boredom, I realize that this lockdown has taught us a few things –
◦ Adaptability : The first few days we spent were filled with a mixed feeling of excitement and fear. Although we were considerably stocked up right before the lockdown, initially all we wondered about was how the food and groceries will be restocked and I had to curb the constant urge to reorder the moment something finished or neared depletion. So whether I learnt to adapt to using dried ginger instead of fresh galangal while preparing a Thai dinner or my husband getting used to reading online newspapers or my kids learning to take online work seriously is all adaptability . We are definitely adapting when we are getting used to seeing our friends online on a small screen , spending special occasions with loved ones without actually getting to hold them or hug them . Learning to live in the current circumstances as happily as possible with negligible complaints is pure survival technique at its best.
◦ Humility: I understood that no matter how much money one may have it’s sometimes the basic things that we take for granted that become a Herculean task. Since most of us have part time staff, to be able to live and function without them became a topic of discussion with many of my friends complaining over our regular phone chats. Some actually even enjoyed the new workout regime of sweeping the floors !! I realized how vulnerable we are to the visit of the colony sweepers who come and collect our garbage each day. Their well being is a party of my daily prayer as well along with the grocery delivery boys who frequent us.
◦ Health first: All my friends know how lazy I am when it comes to exercise. So the moment the weighing scale goes up, I zip up my mouth. It was easier when I had a more normal routine of stepping out to work , meeting my friends and socializing since the results were noticeable and apparent. Luckily for me, my mental health is taken care of by my chanting (I follow Nichiren Buddhism) and online Gakkai activities . It’s the physical fitness that I shirk from. So one evening I saw my new neighbor, a 60 yr old man walking in his 15 feet by 4 feet balcony for almost an hour. Immediately, I resolved if he can do it in such small space , I definitely have a full terrace to do what I should . Well this lockdown retaught me the basic fundamental truth – it’s more important to feel healthy than look thin. So we as a family, started dedicating an hour to exercise everyday in any form – walk , run, skip , play badminton , or even cricket all in the safety of our home on our terrace . As I’m trying to walk and build stamina -I’ve finally reached my goal of 10000 steps a day, I feel I’ll come out of this stronger,and definitely feel better about myself.
◦ Being minimalistic: I sanitize everything that comes into my home these days from fruits and vegetables to each and every grocery item and toiletries. Every time something comes in bulk I almost spend over an hour spraying disinfectant , rubbing soap on some , scrubbing , rinsing and wiping every little thing that comes in. By the time the 3rd delivery came in a single day, I realized that there is so much we can do without but we don’t. I promised myself to get closer to being as minimalistic as possible. The Japanese have almost mastered that art. I am far behind but I’m on the path now.
◦ Be Gentle on yourself: Let us all admit that none of us were prepared for this pandemic and the austere lockdown that happened with it. Moreover, the pandemic is not a productivity test. For the first time , my children have actually enjoyed the freedom of doing nothing at all !! Since exams had just gotten over when this lockdown started both my kids had graduated to higher classes with no more studies to do till day 21 !! There is no rush to cram text books.
◦ Learn something new: Although this might seem contrary to my earlier thought of not making the pandemic a talent show, I seriously feel each of us has got an opportunity to do something that we’ve been wanting to do, master something that we’ve been doing. It gives me great pride when I see my friend who has been working right out of college and who doesn’t cook at all,master the basic recipe of a chocolate soufflé !! Or another friend who hasn’t really been interested in anything but her home learn online coding with her kids!! For my kids, this is the time to learn art , think out of the box, create something !! So it pleases me greatly when my daughter paints or wants to learn baking. The joy of learning something new is unmatched.
◦ This pandemic is here to teach us something very important. It’s the time to shun our inherent nature and Let’s listen closely . Feel it in the purity and beauty of nature which is at its glorious peak right now . It’s time to unlearn and relearn some of the basic things in life So, let me get out of this situation
More grateful than ever before
More ready to take action than procrastinate
More humble than before
More appreciative rather than begrudging
Build strength rather than just look lean
Happier than before, healthier than before and most definitely much safer than before !!
RuchiArjunKapoor:Freewill 