Is it wrong to find joy in the lockdown? Yusuf Motiwala, founder of Mesibo—a real-time communication platform—isn’t so sure. A strong believer in not going with the flow, but rather enjoying it, self-isolation came as an unexpected gift to the workaholic Yusuf.
The fact that there were no domestic help failed to dampen his spirit; he rediscovered his love for cooking.
“I realised that my needs are smaller than I was aware of,” he says Zen-like. The two Japanese terms—Ikigai and Wabi-Sabi (meaning acceptance of the transience and finding purpose in simple things of life respectively)—have found resonance today.
The pandemic has made many pause, appreciate and be grateful for small pleasures.
Today, more than ever, people look forward to what were previously routine occurrences—grocery trips to the neighbourhood store you had forgotten about, video calls with loved ones, time spent at home with children, and more.
For designer Neetu Gupta, the lockdown came as a shocker and a leveller.
“The extra time I get is a gift. I start my day with chanting and follow it up with yoga. Health is topmost on my mind,” she says. Self-love is her motto as she focuses on her life inside-out.
From skincare to upgrading her skills with the help of free courses—the changed world is her oyster.
“Every evening I would dance on Zoom with a few friends. And later in the night, unwind with family over music, games, chatter and read myself to sleep. It is collective detox,” she smiles.
Sandhya Mendonca, founder and MD of Raintree Media, too found joy in small things. “A mundane task such as handling vegetables became a sensual pleasure.
It transformed my attitude towards cooking. I’ve also begun to appreciate human relationships—the neighbour who made my favourite dish, the friend who sent across fresh vegetables, and most of all my son and his friends taking over the kitchen once a week,” she says.
Today, she chats with her sisters and cousins on Zoom in five countries and has also started a talent show on YouTube.
During the initial days of the lockdown, anxiety became a constant companion to undergraduate student Siya Kumar studying at the Rhode Island School of Design, US.
Her love for clothes was an unexpectd savior. “I decided to pick up an old sewing machine which was collecting dust at the back of a cupboard somewhere. I found the process of sewing deeply intimate. Every thread out of place or an asymmetrically stiched sleeve shows the individuality of the garment,” she says.
For Sanam Sheriff, doing a Master’s in creative writing at Washington University, peace came in the form of faith.
Spirituality, poetry, meditation, art, outreach and service have helped her hold on to her happiness.
“Poetry reminds me that we will still have power even if we are stripped of our routines. Yoga has encouraged me to start my day with positive thoughts,” she says, adding, “Gratitude is my axis.”