I am no expert, but thanks to Corona, life will never be the same. Ever again. Or will it? Most of us have been holed up at home for an inordinately lengthy period. We have learned to appreciate the little things. Like the drumsticks growing in the mostly neglected vegetable patch. Precious jars of Nutella, the sweet grocery store guy kept aside for you, because your face fell when there weren’t any the last time you stopped by. Spouses and kids who help with household chores (and all it took was a little grumbling and a lot of persuasion, maybe even extortion when you threatened to dump their handheld devices in the compost pit near the veggie patch). Less demanding hours which you are free to fill with anything at all that captures your fancy. Even if it is doing nothing at all in particular. Because you can.
We appreciate the big things too. Like those who have gone out of their way to help those in need. Whether it is feeding stray dogs, using your fancy hotel’s kitchen to prepare and send out healthy meals for cops on duty, caring for the sick, or volunteering to make sure that essential items, staples reach the ones who need them the most. The fact that despite cynical predictions that India will be the worst hit during this crisis, thanks to quick thinking and judicious methods we are holding our heads above water at present. There is always the dreadful possibility that things could take a turn for the worse. Besides life in India isn’t exactly amazing at the moment. The spectre of economic woes, unemployment, grinding poverty, starvation and mass death confronts us all. But even so, we are holding firm and we are doing it together.
Some of us are making resolutions about the beautiful, meaningful lives we will lead after the lockdown is lifted, while ignoring the voice in the head, truculently wondering if that will happen in the immediate future or at least in this century. A simpler, more old-fashioned lifestyle is called for we tell ourselves where we refrain from our consumerist excesses. Perhaps we can buy a patch of land in those rural areas and take up farming, so we can be closer to nature.
At the very least, we will no longer obsess over nail polish, lipstick or the perfect outfit guaranteed to make us Instagram worthy. Let us not shell out hard-earned money on umpteen vacations around the world, so we can join queues at amusement parks or gaze at a monument in order to tweet about it. Make a virtual pinkie promise with like-minded buddies, to always respect and care for Big Momma Nature. Perhaps we can sit out the rat race for a bit and give something back to society because we were recently made aware of the fact that money amounts to squat if you aren’t going to be around to enjoy it.
Many more among us are haunted by fear though. That we will go back to the old ways. If not immediately, then shortly after. Polluting the environment every which way we can. Buying stuff we don’t need. And fighting with each other about everything from politics to religion and why my favorite celeb or God is superior to yours. Wait, did we ever stop being this way? Is there hope for us? Maybe. Or maybe not.Author and new age classicist
anujamouli@gmail.com