Chongboi Singson
Kohima
Who would have thought these dark days would dawn upon us? We had hoped that we would find a cure and our lives would return to how it used to be at the earliest. But sadly, it didn't turn out too well and now; we are fighting a battle, COVID-19 which would go down in history. As most of us sit in the comfort of our homes, we don't know how it feels to be a doctor or a nurse working in the frontline fighting for millions of lives. What would it feel like to be a patient who never knows when he/she will breathe his/her last? We don't know what it's like to be isolated or what it's like to be apart from our family while we battle the disease. Just imagine the poverty-stricken homes struggling to survive during this pandemic. While we're home looking for ways to kill time and escape boredom, there are people out there who would give anything to be in our place.
A man in UP committing suicide after being unable to feed his family of five due to the lockdown in May was heartbreaking. As I came across that incident on the news, I took a moment to look at my own life and I felt nothing except gratefulness. You see, we get so used to all the things we have in our lives that we take things for granted. While we are tired of seeing the same faces every day, there are people who want to see their family for the last time. While we breathe air for free, there is someone who pays to get air into his lungs. While we grumble about how boring this new normal is, there is someone who has no time to complain. We cannot ignore the fact that the world is fighting battles other than the virus. There's the "Black Lives Matter" protests going on in the US, there's the border issue between India and China, there's racism, killings and endless crimes taking place in the world. And here we are away from all the dramas.
I know life is definitely not easy for us. There will be wars raging in our head and we will be fighting our own battles during this period. It's not easy being at home with nothing to keep ourselves entertained. At the start, I wished the 'new normal' would end soon and I would get on with my life. I don't want to waste time any longer. As a student, all I wanted was to finish my studies as quickly as possible and achieve my dream. And this virus was definitely not what I wanted at the moment. That was all I ever thought of. But eventually, I realized I was missing out so much on life. Apart from being a student, who am I, really? Who am I devoid of all the knowledge I gained from books? I was fortunate to have gone home in the village in time and I got to be with my family. It's funny how I spent 18 years of my life in the village and yet, I never truly tasted the perks of living in the village. I got to reconnect with the people as I opened up myself more. I understood what was lacking in the village and how badly they need help. Not everyone lives a fairytale, you know. There was only so much I could do.
I also reconnected with my passion - Writing. I have always been an enthusiastic writer, though not a professional. I love poetry especially. In March, I opened my own page in Instagram @Writes_CB where I post my writings. My late grandpa was a keen reader and so, I took a look at his old bookshelf and discovered many great books he used to read. I take great pleasure in taking long walks in the evening while listening to music and nature has always been my greatest therapist. I decided to take a look at the bigger picture for once. I had all the time in the world to do the things I love, to open up to possibilities and discover. It's an irony that you understand the world first before understanding yourself. I tell you, there are many great things you are yet to discover about yourself. If you're feeling unproductive, get yourself some work to do.
I am neither a motivational speaker nor a counsellor. But I do know that we are here for a reason. The world is already tainted and it doesn't need more narrow-minded, negative and pessimistic human beings to add to it. What it needs right now is human beings who are trying, humans who are optimistic in their outlook towards every single thing that happens in their lives, whether good or bad and humans with grateful hearts. As I look at what's happening around the world despite the pandemic, I now know that there's a virus living inside each one of us. It could be greed, hatred, laziness, negative mindsets, bad principles and pessimism. There's no better time than this to heal, reset, challenge and find ourselves and dare to take new paths. I hope we all come out of this as individuals with healthy minds who know how to appreciate the pasture they get.
The writer is a BA 5th Semester student, Department of Political Science, Modern College Kohima.
