Aliya Naseer Farooq
Most of our time is spent looking outwards. We wake up to an alarm set for work. We do our morning rituals in a zombie state. Our minds still numb from the late nights over the weekend. Some of us need to wake up the husband and the kids who need to get up and go to offices and schools. Our breakfast is usually gulped down without any appreciation of taste.Our morning drive is done frowning, in some cases punctuated with cuss words. Generally, its not a very pretty picture. The rest of the day we function on auto mode. Trying to do our best. Our mind in a million places.The instinctive care of our parents, children, homes weighing us down. Knowing we are neglecting so much, including our own wellbeing but what to do; c’est la vie!
It is ironical that it took ‘Corona’ to change all that. This global malady is teaching us to look inwards. Getting up in a leisurely manner without any alarms going off. The body clock working on its own as bedtimes become earlier in the absence of dinners and parties. Body feels more rested. I actually have time to see my face in the morning and apply day cream which I usually remembered at night, followed by the confusion of whether to go with the day or the night cream?
There is no rush, no meetings, no deadlines. Children are waking up to the chirping of birds, seeing the blue skies and rustling leaves. We can sit and have breakfast in peace. No frowns, no shouting.
There is anxiety. There is panic. There is fear. There is an air of foreboding.It is a pandemic, perhaps the worst in human memory.
It has suddenly made us mindful of our health; more home cooked meals, waving and talking to the neighbours from the balconies, spring cleaning of homes, taking time to read, paint, knit. Praying and meditating, consciously doing deep breathing exercises which relax the tension ridden muscles. Sitting in the sun with keenoos. Consciously creating and joining charity networks working diligently to provide supplies to daily wagers, restaurant waiters and others worst affected by the closure and slow down of businesses.
All this in the dreaded shadow of the Corona virus. Covid19, it shakes and jolts one into the realization of our follies. It has made us question the daily grind, the nine to five, the rat race, the cut throat competition, the grades fever, the A’s and the A*s. It makes us question our priorities. It has shaken us out of our collective stupor and opened our eyes to a parallel universe. A reality that we had closed our consciousness to. A world full of wild flowers, stars, mountains, rivers, streams, swans, children. It makes us change our reactions to the nature lovers, the environmentalists and geologists. Nature has been neglected, misused, abused and brutally ravaged by humans for centuries. Throwing our garbage out in the open, dumping toxic waste into the rivers and oceans. Littering, soiling, corrupting..the list is endless. Nature takes a lot but there comes a cut off point, once that is triggered, then there is fierce backlash. History has witnessed many disasters and catastrophes caused by man’s recklessness, unbridled ambition, venomous hatred, utter disregard for the laws of the universe. There comes a time when the universe takes a hiccup, a shake up or a shudder and that is it! We the mighty humans, the civilised, the advanced, the super powers…..cower and coil into dark corners hoping to live it out. All our lofty claims of superiority crumbling down to nothingness.
A re-evaluation, redirection, rearrangement of life choices, priorities, goals and objectives is the need of the hour. Humility, patience and compassion are crucial for survival. We must rise above boundaries and borders just like the virus. Subjugation, violence and injustice should shake us. Unjust embargos and sanctions against countries should not be ignored. It all comes back to us. We must give back to nature. As someone said,
‘ Whatever the question ‐ plants are the answer. ‘
‘ They say that in the streets of Assisi people are singing to each other across the empty squares, keeping their windows open so that those who are alone may hear the sounds of family around them…open the windows of your souls and sing…’
Love, prayer, soulful reflection, rebirth and spring. May healing come soon. May we emerge out of this calamity, cleansed and united. May we evolve to see beyond our own pain. May we understand that we are all the children of the world.
