“Be mindful. Be grateful. Be positive. Be true. Be kind.”
— Roy T Bennett, from the book ‘The Light in the Heart’
A microscopic entity has brought the world to its knees. The COVID-19 pandemic is a grave crisis that the human race is facing at the moment. The dangers of this virus cannot be changed, but what we can change is the way we choose to react to the current situation. At the moment, many of us are still confined to our homes. Activities that were once a part of our daily routine are a distant dream. Our faces are covered in masks and the streets are still somewhat deserted. These sights instill in our hearts a feeling of anxiety. The test we all face is, how do we overcome this anxiety with positive emotions.
It is difficult but not impossible to embrace positivity. You can follow my example if you want. My parents call me a daydreamer. Perhaps I am. I envision COVID-19 as a teacher. A very strict teacher. It is teaching us lessons of maintaining hygiene, eating healthy to have good immunity and helping in household chores; but the most important lesson it has taught me is to be grateful.
When the lockdown started, I was very frustrated. All the restrictions angered and infuriated me. My mother, father and sister would put in a lot of effort to cheer me up. Mummy would cook my favourite food with the limited ingredients she had. My sister would tolerate
my tantrums. My father would take time out from his official calls to play with me.
And then, one day, all the anger melted away and my heart was filled with a feeling of gratitude. I was suddenly struck by the feeling of how blessed I am to have my loving family with me. And since then, I take time every day to say thank you to God. A big thanks for my cosy house, for our pantry that is filled with food and for my loving family. For my dear friends and all my relatives. For the many sources of entertainment I have such as Netflix, FaceTime, board games and books. I am grateful for all the people working to make our life comfortable—my building guard, the liftman, our garbage collector and the bread seller who comes with his stock of bread and eggs to our house every day. God has really blessed me with so many gifts, gifts that are making this time bearable.
It would be selfish of me to enjoy these gifts and not reach out a helping hand to others. Keeping this in mind, my sister and I are running a Quarantine Ultramarathon. We are planning to run a distance of 50kms over six days within the confines of our flat. We are doing this to raise funds for Goonj—an NGO working for the welfare of migrant workers. So, the next time you feel overwhelmed by the current scenario, take a deep breath, close your eyes and list down all the things you are thankful for. Let the value of gratefulness guide you. It will take you towards a path of calmness and contentment. Trust me, the value of gratitude is the most valuable lesson I have ever learned. And for that,
I am thankful to my teacher, COVID-19.
Image for representational purposes
