BOUNCING BACK IS IMPORTANT

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear…Ambrose Redmoon

The year 2020 is no less than a roller coaster ride. The world is enveloped in a global health emergency which called for a different level of understanding and damage control. It all started in India in March 2020 where the human race realized that this is something distinct. People in various parts of the country from diverse professions had to deal with it. Some got to know that in the Lockdown period there will not be any source of income, some found out different ways of earning their bread and butter and IT professionals resorted to WFH. While the others were figuring out, some like Doctors and Frontline workers did not have a choice but to face it and take the driver’s seat. All of us witnessed Lockdowns and then came UNLOCK.1, 2, and so on…I am sure each one of us has had numerous experiences in this phase of life. If I reflect upon the last 7 months, there are many instances which made me think that – we suffer more in imagination than in reality and human beings have the power to bounce back, the thing that is needed the most is resilience.

When Covid-19 entered India, it was a matter of concern but when we got to know about the first case in Pune, the anxiety was obvious. Offices were shut down; lockdown was imposed and none of us had the valor to move out. As the days passed by, there were cases near our vicinities which made us tenser. To cite a personal experience, I first got to know that there is a case found in my locality which made me feel that the virus has entered the area and we can get affected. Little did we know that this was just the starting, in the next few days we got to know about a case in our own building and we had a sleepless night thinking what will happen next. Days passed by nothing improved rather deteriorated. Everywhere in the news channels, we could only see the Covid-19 related news report. Then one fine day in my own residence, someone became unwell. Humans as species first go through the worry phase, then comes denial, where we do not want to accept something, can go wrong with us, and then comes the acceptance phase. We went through all and had a Covid-19 positive patient at home. As a family, there was a turmoil of emotions. We all were bogged down, but then I realized it’s important to bounce back!! We sat as a family and decided that we will sail through this. We used to listen to songs, watch motivational videos, have video calls, and ensured that the patient’s morale is high always. Luckily rest of us did not get the virus.

In 17 days, quarantine period, we realized that the motivation to make a comeback and lead a normal life takes you a long way. One of my close acquaintances, a person who was a doctor treating Covid 19 patients contracted the disease, fought back, and is treating patients even now. There are families who lost their near and dear ones, none of us can think of the distress they have gone through but what is important is one day they also have stood up and shown up.  

In general, also, things improved, people started moving out, by adapting the new normal but life is coming back to what it was. Sooner or later, we will all have to alter ourselves and do our bit. 

In the coming days, hopefully, things will improve, and we will revert to the way we lived earlier, mask free and fearless. In due course of time what will remain with us are the memories of how hard the times were and how well we responded…ultimately

“What matters is not how far you have been affected… but how well you BOUNCE BACK”