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A Virus and other Drugs

It's a season slowly entering the threshold of Summer. A lazy season I would say, just like the way I am these days. Well, I can justify that or at least try to. There is this little virus doing its rounds bit by bit, country by country across the world. Earthlings are calling it COVID-19 or just coronavirus. Bigshots from bigger countries have already started playing the blame game for who created it and why. Well, it's too late now for that game as people across the globe are getting infected and at an alarmingly rapid rate. It has already left almost the whole world with lockdown whether partial or complete, but it has left me with a complete reflection time reflecting on the minutest things of life that we otherwise tend to ignore or miss.

Or at least this is what is currently happening to a few people around me. Like reflecting on how it feels like to distance oneself from nearly everyone and become a forced introvert. On how this social distancing is rewarding to a great extent. It's confining us to our home, apartment, flat or the four walls we call home. But it also confines us to our close ones, family or friends, whoever we share our home with. Like in my case, I have never visited my backyard this thoroughly in the last 20 years of my life. Now I know what vegetables Dad is growing this time of the year, which herbs I can cook and how to identify them, which crops take how long to grow, and stuff like that. Never did I get time to spend with our pets and befriend them. Nor to enjoy picking up fruits and veggies and green herbs from the backyard garden Dad is taking care of with so much love and effort even at this age. Well, he is in his late 70s and Mom in her late 60s - two grown up kids I am taking care of intensively. Before this enforced lockdown, I have almost forgotten to kiss and smell the roses in my garden, or even water them as often as possible. Not that I didn't want to, but I was never home for this long while. There are relatives I have not seen for years who I did manage to meet this time. Of course, before lockdown. So many loved ones around, so much love to exchange, so much magic to witness, so many miracles to discover. Yes, during this lockdown, I have made close friends with Nature around me. This time, a closer bond. Much closer.

Are we really winning over Nature? By destroying her, contaminating her? That's something we can discuss forever. But this virus, what it is doing now to earthlings is something beyond our logic, reason, explanation. Or is it something Nature has found as a way to react to our actions? What if you wake up after a long hiatus and find yourself all alone in this entire planet as the only human being left? Is this lockdown bringing up my dark side bright and clear? Or is it just a sign of frustration, depression, or maybe hallucination, and all those negativity one can possibly think of? Okay, done with this negativity as that's not what I am made of or meant to have. I am a positive earthling. So back to smelling and kissing my roses, watering my plants, picking up veggies and herbs, feeding my parents well, and yes, keeping my immunity stronger along with theirs. Besides that, a lot many souls have opened up their unexplored sides, the sides that were not ready to confess, not just yet. There have been honest confessions of love, of longings, of regrets and what not ever since this lockdown happened to us. And that led to realizations and promises to self of never letting anyone down, not giving up on people, never losing hope, never stopping to dream and live, of learning how to make breakfast, lunch and dinner, learning how to nurture others while remembering to nourish self, learning to read and understand and reflect, growing confident, hopeful and positive in life. Promises that I have always made to myself and followed religiously till date. Promises that I will pledge and execute in the days to come. Till then, stay safe, stay inside your homes. 
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