I almost forgot I wrote a blog and of course forgot the password right before logging in today. Well before I write about what's happening with me as of now lets go back to March 2020 when all of this began.
March 2020
I was pretty much living my regular life, had my tickets booked to Sydney for the 25th of March leading a delegation of 30 odd people, booked my tickets to Leh, figuring out new places to eat at in the city (Bombay), had friends over for Holi and I was busy rekindling some, actually one broken friendship (so to say). I heard about the corona virus hitting China but I wasn't really bothered about it. I was doing a lot long drives out of Bombay those days and one day on March 20th if I am not wrong when we were driving back from Daman is when the news of the virus hitting home really sort of struck me. As I came home that night and the Prime Minister announced the lockdown, I literally had no idea what happened. I mean to be very honest I actually had to google the meaning of a pandemic! Besides that of course there was that shock of no maid and for the first time in 35 years it meant I had to do house work. Right in the beginning it was fun. Like cardio but entertaining. I did everything, things I had never anticipated I had to do and honestly I was happy. It was a challenge managing work from home with the chores and because I used to miss eating out so much I was also doing so much cooking over the weekends but it was fun because I was learning. New things, things I had not done before and things I was keen on learning.
I also literally became so responsible overnight. Thanks to things going completely online (blessed to live in a city like Bombay that adapts so well each time there is a problem) I had to take over all the responsibilities in the house. From banking to groceries, from sanitizing to doctors besides of course all the work load and workouts I was heavily involved in it. There were also those virtual calls with my friends, my family, my work mates, my neighbours everyone and anyone you can think of, shooting one million virtual birthday videos and you know the best part, I didn't feel like complaining.
At this point I would also like to thank my virtual cooking club (where 3 of us got together every weekend challenging ourselves to cook/bake/innovate something new). Although the vessels later were a nightmare those cooking sessions were so therapeutic
September 2020
And then came my birthday. All India complete lockdown. If you know me, you know how special birthdays are to me and how deeply I care about them Not only mine but others too. It may sound so surprising but my lockdown birthday was one of the best birthdays of my entire life. My friends really went out of the way to make my day extra special and I felt so appreciated because they understood how difficult it had been for me to go from baby of the house to boss of the house in just a couple of months. I mean I literally do not know anyone who forgot to wish me, I had 9 cakes for crying out loud and I didn't even buy a single one of them :). I had virtual cocktail parties, I had birthday movies that included my family, friends and colleagues from all over the world, I had 2 simultaneous birthday gift countdowns with literally every gift that I could have possibly imagined, I had my favourite balloons sent to me, people coming all the way just to visit me from my window and also friends that cooked massive meals at home and delivered it to me so that I wouldn't have to lift a finger that day. If you were any of the above people and are reading this I am so grateful for having you in my life and please know that I love you so much.
December 2020
We started reaching the end of the year. Work started getting worse. Borders weren't going to open. Our working days were reduced. Friends started to lose jobs, however cases also comparatively started to reduce so we still had hope in our hearts. This stage was slightly difficult for me because people started stepping out. The world was in Goa but I wasn't. Friends were meeting but I didn't. Living with my parents I just wanted to avoid them ever facing the repercussions of my carelessness. I wouldn't be able to forgive my self if that happened and honestly one dinner didn't seem worth it at all.
Feb 2021
Welcomed the new year with so much hope but obviously corona was going no where. By now I had reached my wits end and was longing to travel. Managed to gather some guts and spend a week in Delhi. Now imagine what a culture shock it was for me from straight being at home for a year to reach the airport. Obviously spent most of my time at home in Delhi too but it was refreshing, just getting some sun, one dinner, few walks, meeting a friend, came back refreshed but straight into a week of quarantine and a test later did I meet my parents. Spending that week in quarantine was so challenging and depressing again that whole week in Delhi didn't feel worth this torture.
April 2021
Just when I started feeling a little confident about at least reaching the salon, the second wave of the pandemic has hit us and it is bad. Covid is too close to home. We have lost closed ones and are in complete lockdown once again. But this time I just can't take it. Work has gone from bad to worse because India is so high on covid numbers. People seem to be taking it too lightly not realizing that even though they might survive this pandemic but others might not thanks to them. It is difficult to push yourself daily, motivate yourself and continue to challenge yourself amongst this monotonous routine. It saddens me to see this circus that has been made of India thanks to its politicians, religion, media and social media. Fake news, drama, lies, venom spewing everyday on the idiot box can really be frustrating.
But I guess at the end of the day all we can survive on is hope. I choose to tune myself out of people and social media that can get so toxic. I choose not to judge my relationships with anyone during this pandemic as everyone is fighting a battle of their own. I choose not to think of anyone's problems less important than mine. I choose to believe that a better tomorrow is out there and I choose to wait for it patiently. I choose to thank God for my life, respect things better than I used to, thank him for our relentless Covid workers without whom none of us would've survived this lockdown.
After all other than compassion, what else do we have to give any way....Damn, I grew up this last year!
PS: That friendship I was trying to rekindle in March 2020, I chose to give up on and that was one of the best decisions I could've ever made for myself.
