Maktub

There are many lessons we should learn from the pandemic. The first one is “as the virus keeps evolving for its survival and the pandemic continues, so does life.”

The Decade That Refuses to Age

I haven’t been regularly writing the blog; the last one was in October 2021. Not a vast gap considering, the previous two years have gone like a night full of weird dreams that don’t let you sleep, and you eagerly wait for the dawn. We started 2020 with uncertainties and doubts; no one was sure what would happen. By the start of 2021, we were used to and fed up with the pandemic. So much so that most of us let our guards down and paid the price with the devastating second wave. Predict that the latest variant might be the beginning of the end. The pandemic might be moving towards becoming endemic. Let’s hope it turns out accurate. In the meantime, pandemic continues, and so does life.

 

We all have lost something or someone during the pandemic and learned life lessons no book or teacher could have taught with such clarity.

Take One Day at a Time

The Zen masters and gurus tell us to focus on the present moment and live mindfully. The pandemic has ensured that we remember this key to a stress-free life. Even if we can’t focus on here and now, then at least look at each day as a fresh beginning and celebrate it without thinking about the future. 

We have stopped buying tickets or making travel plans in advance. We are not thinking of making huge investments or buying lavish houses. Instead, we look for opportunities for small and short getaways to unwind our minds. We crave a safe place for us and our loved ones, where we don’t have to worry about wearing masks 24/7 or facing large crowds.

Every Family Is Dysfunctional

Most of us feel that we deserve everything perfect: life partners, jobs, friends, family, perfect looks, healthy body, etc. The problem is we want to get this without doing the groundwork. To get anything, we need to grind and give our best, keep our heads down, adjust, acknowledge our mistakes, forgive others and be less judgmental. However, whenever a situation demands us to think clearly, our insecurities overpower our sanity. Hence, we don’t function as we ideally should.

Thanks to lockdown, many people got a chance to live close to their families. It became an ideal world; others realized there was a huge communication gap. In contrast, people who were forced to live apart realized the importance of staying connected. Not everyone; distance made many families drift further away than they already were. One thing is clear nothing is perfect, and most families are dysfunctional; the range may vary from a bit to almost beyond repairable.

You may have heard the WHO director’s statement that “pandemic can only be managed if all the countries work together as a big global family.” The same rule applies to family and relations. Unless and until everyone puts their ego aside and keeps their head down, life situations remain the same.

Prevention Is Better Than Cure

The one lesson we should learn from the pandemic is the golden rule “prevention is always better than cure.” We can only prevent ourselves if we are thinking clearly, and if we are not, someone around us should remind us to be sane. Each of us is guilty of leaving the face mask and hand sanitizer at some point. The price we pay for being irresponsible can be too much, not just for us but the people around us. Nothing is important than our health. We talk about achieving big things but fail to focus on the primary and most essential thing – our health, our well-being.

Always choose prevention, else the only thing we can do is regret our actions. Trust me; regret is the most underestimated feeling that hits you hardest because there is no one else to blame but yourself.

Wrapping up!

Lastly, just like I’m wrapping up this blog post, the first one of 2022. Similarly, anything that begins has to end, which also applies to the current pandemic. Till the time it is wondering looking for its final destination, let us stay strong, vigilant and hopeful. That’s the only way we can sail through the other side of this pandemic.

I’m sure there are many lessons you may have learned. Please share them, so others can avoid making the same mistakes you might have made. Take care and stay healthy!