From past almost two years, a new enormously spreading disease came under the observation because of a minute virus called as COVID-19 or the Coronavirus. We know how many people died because of this virus and how much loss the whole world had because of the pandemic.
Whether it's U.S. or U.K. or Italy or China or India, every country suffered with the loss of human lives, loss of business, etc.
What I am going to explore in this brief article is not what is Coronavirus or how it's spread or what are the precautions to be taken or what loss it accounted for because that's something everyone knows for now as for enough awareness and campaigns have been organized to make people realize and get the information on almost every aspect that circulates around the COVID-19.
Well, rather here, I am going to focus on the reflections that almost everyone produced while mirroring the virus, while in quarantine, while at home, while in the pandemic, while struggling in the hospital, while losing a beloved (the greatest tragedy ever) and while looking at the self.
I want to explore from where the strength came to fight the pandemic, from where the patience came to stay inside the homes from almost or more than a year, from where the satisfaction came that people were contented with the less they had, from where the care for each other came that people came forward to help to support each other leaving one side the religion, gender, and the caste.
I remember when I came across for the first time about COVID-19 via the news on T. V and the newspapers, I was a little scared and frightened at the same time on how to deal with the situation, how to make things work while being at home, how, how and how. It was/is the time when in the family everyone has to act bravery and boldly, support each other and be a helping hand.
My friends would call me on how to get the things fixed, we are at home, schools, and colleges are closed, there is no way to get out of home, to become selfish because this is the time when even a single mistake could take away a life: The time when we were the source of happiness and goodness for each other.
Often times people come with well-wishes and good news to us but, this time everyone in the family themselves were well-wish because their wellness mattered more than a lot. I won't call the pandemic as just the curse or a disguise because somehow the pandemic proved to be “A blessing disguised” because it made us realize the value of each other, the value of each other's company, the value of a family, the value of giving time to family and one's own self, the value of being present in situations, the value of being human.
I won't hesitate in saying that the pandemic gave us some good memories too. Everyone would agree with it, I guess because there are many lessons this Pandemic taught us. Although, we were disheartened many times during the time but, we proved to be each other's helpers and supporters. That's what is the beauty of being human, we always come out of the existential crisis and lose ourselves in the service of understanding the roles of each other’s existence.
Be not disheartened,
O Gardener! By its poor state,
Winds The budding stars are ready to illuminate its fate.
The rubbish will soon vanish from your Garden's bed,
The crimson rose will tell where the martyr's blood was shed.
Watch! The horizon is tinged reddish-brown,
This is prelude of a new Sun soon to the crown.
Iqbal always wins the day by his poetry even if the poem above circulates more of around the martyrs but, the line “new Sun soon to crown” is what makes me mention this poem here. Yes! The new sun will rise. All the pains, grieves, and agonies will pass away, and the dawn will show its beauty to us.
As I wrote in the beginning of the article that we will explore for how people changed because of this pandemic and what are the things we learned during this time. Well, let us start by saying this pandemic proved to be “a blessing disguised” because it made us realize many values, morals, and ethics. I mean, we were so busy with our schedules, with the mess and the things around that we would hardly think about ourselves, our family, and our friends too.
But, because of the pandemic, we had no other choice than to stay indoors inside our homes. Because of it, we restarted ourselves after a long existential crisis, after a long time of overcoming the self-centrism, Were understood what it means to be a human, what it means by humanity, what does a family means, what does the friends signify.
All of a sudden, despite the pain and grief all around people found their selves. Started giving time to our hobbies, the things which we had stopped doing long before, or learned new things and explored a new self. That's why I won't again hesitate in calling the pandemic a blessing disguised. Moreover, even after so much loss of the lives (may all the people who die during the pandemic rest in peace), people showed great sort of patience and perseverance and to this, I think it's because people knew that there is something called as hope.
Yes! This is where I am going to end this whole discussion, or more precisely the article. Hope is something that lies at the bottom of every loss and at the top of every struggle. It is something which is known as the light in the darkness”. The support which we gave to each other during the whole time, the fight against the virus and the patience, all came from the hope because we hoped that this all shall pass.
Nothing remains forever, even we have to also die one day, things keep changing but, Qaarwaan (journey) keeps going, and its hope, love, attachment, and affection that keep upholding to the rope and keep us going. It will be an injustice to end the piece here and hence, I am ending with the saying of The Philosopher Auguste Comte.,
Like branches, leaves, and fruit are a tree,
So Man as limbs to each other are society.
Sagacity of mind is a gift of nature.
That feet stay on the ground is the law of nature,
One has to tell, and the other has to do.
Mahmood could not, what Ayyaz would do.
Don't you see how fate plays about with the way of life?
The entire garden becomes a place where thistles thrive.