When Nature presses the PAUSE button

When Nature presses the PAUSE button

PC: Google Images

2020- man went on with his job, in a hurry to reach somewhere, he has never known- possessed by greed and want, like he has always been for millennia- until unknowingly, unprecedentedly, a novel virus as tiny as 70 to 80 nanometre (a human hair is about 80000 nanometre) locked him inside his own house, shunning all his routine, developments, throwing all the administration, governments of the most powerful states in a limbo. Largely, it punctured the man’s ego, showing the most intelligent and condescending creature how diminutive he is and that he is not ‘indispensable’.

In this catastrophe, what travelled faster than the virus were myths, rumours, misconceptions, and never-ending theories. Soon, literature and movies intrigued us with doomsday works referring to the virus and the apocalypse thereby. In inclusion were ‘The Eyes of Darkness’- a 1981 novel by Dean Koontz allegedly predicting the pandemic, prediction in The Simpsons and even not spared was 16^th century French astrologer, Nostradamus. People went as far as terming it a biological warfare by China and that it was lab-made. However, an analysis has shown that there is no such evidence, and it is a product of natural evolution.

While we all know this, and a lot could be written on the various aspects of corona outbreak, I would like to choose a utopian account on this. Isn’t it an opportunity for self-reflection? To pause and look inside- to introspect what we have been pursuing all the while? To connect with one and look up to the greater power- nature! Angela Fischer, Global Peace Initiative of Women said, “When outer borders are being closed we can begin again to open up our inner borders... We can devote ourselves again to the feminine wisdom inside all of us that shows us how to communicate, to be in relationship to each other and to the inner worlds.”

1. De-cluttering and social distancing: When the world was all about networking, we wanted to be in touch with everyone- with the world around; the corona outbreak introduced ‘social distancing’ and isolation. Indeed, a way to detach yourself from the world and look within- for small things that matter. With even worship places being shut, man is learning to connect with the Supreme Being that has been inside him. It has given him an opportunity to de-clutter the materialistic possessions. Though hesitatingly, he is learning to spend quality time with family (that matters the most), enjoying without theatres, malls and restaurants and online deliveries! He is after a long-long time, learning to be minimalistic- cooking staple and eating home food, doing domestic chores and learning to be self-reliant!

2. An opportunity to do something you’ve always longed for: Often, you and me, everyone has complained of paucity of time, busy schedules for not having pursued our interests or for learning something new. This has come as a generous dividend to let you do exactly that. But as have been engineered to work on obligations, moving away and doing something of your own, on your own can also be a challenge. But then, let’s chuck the laziness and make the best of this rare opportunity.

3. Unity in Adversity: “Adversity allows us the opportunity to find out what we are capable of, to develop our strengths, and to access aspects of ourselves that we did not know existed and inner resources we didn’t know we had.”- Jennifer Lehr

This global adversity brought forth the humane face of many. People, celebrities, individuals- in their own capacity are coming forward to help the needy. A septuagenarian has been sending meals to the police even when her mess is shut, temples are helping to provide meals to the slogging doctors and hospital staff, while police are feeding the poor and hungry on streets; yet others are lining up (with the set rules) to donate blood. People took out time to laud the efforts of the community workers in unison.

Virologist Dr. Meenal Dakhave Bhosale designed the first India indigenous testing kit, giving the fastest results, just a day before her delivery!

Adversity, indeed, teaches us to be selfless, sharing and a little more caring!

4. The Earth is healing: We were too busy to pay heed to nature. But the pandemic has brought us to the realization that “Nature doesn't need people- people need nature”. While today there is no good news for us, humans, for our Mother Earth there is. The very vital ozone layer is finally healing, dolphins have made an entry into the Mumbai sea shores (apparently due to drop in fishing activity and ship movements) and finally, global pollution is seeing a decrease for the first time ever in over two decades.

While the world looks gloomy today, with deserted streets and places, we need to keep hope that things will turn better, and they will, as man has overcome many such deadly epidemics in the past. The world will be teeming with people once again; but what we need to be sure is- to take a lesson from this global crisis, stay grounded, stop taking things for granted, stay balanced and emerge wiser.

xx