Review of the Year 2020

 

 Welcoming year 2020 was not any different from previous years. We stayed awake until midnight as if assuring that the time ticked gracefully into the new year. We ushered in 2020 with the same kind of hugs, cheers, and jubilations as any other year. 

But like you invite a guest over and don't realize what impact that person will leave upon you...we were as clueless as to the world. Although the cases of Covid19 were already present in China, little did any of us realize that this virus will choose to travel the globe ticketless. 

Within a passage of a few months, our county declared stay-at-home as this bug was traveling at the speed of light. 

It was beating the marvel characters who would travel at the speed of light. 

 March 2020, when the abrupt lockdown announcement came. Thank fully all of my family was in town to get couped in the four walls of our home. However, we didn't have enough time to stock our pantry or the fridge with the essentials. Was always in the habit of shopping enough for five days, but then with the announcement of everything shutting down, chaos began. I could see it on people's faces while standing in long lines for checking out their essentials along with toilet paper and bottled water while I 'only' had the basics such as bread, vegetables, milk.

I still fail to understand why our community opted to shop more than required toilet paper and bottled water!!

Days ticked away to weeks and months while we chose to be indoors. Cooking, cleaning was my criteria, and my mind was busy scanning headlines and getting anxious. At the same time, the intellect decided to calm that agitated mind as I would mutter, "The Universe has a plan!" 

Plan alright!!

At a personal level: 

 I chose to make the most of this lockdown by creating some 'Me' time. I decided to exercise my physical body and my mental body and then hone my cooking skills. 

I finished writing a manuscript and published a book while being in gratitude every single day for good health and food on the table. 

These months the world was also shifting towards a change for the better. 

Some that I feel deserves mention:

• #BlackLivesMatter awareness.
• Climate changed for the better as the sky was visible and birds could be 'heard' chirping. 

Few pointers to ponder upon: 

When we said our goodbye to 2020 and welcomed 2021, I realize that most of humanity showed resilience and adapted well to the change. 

Although we have miles to go before we can move around on this planet like before, that awareness of freedom will always be deep down in our hearts that will fill us with gratitude over what he had. 

This period also saw the longing and embracing of our family members as we all were cooped up in those four walls. 

No doubt, man is considered a social animal, but this quarantine also taught us that distances could make people fonder. Since we all made, Zoom/WebEx calls to connect with relatives, friends world wide. 

People who caught the bug were quarantined. That I feel was a test of their mind as they were fighting this virus that has a reputation of creating havoc in the human body. For those who came out of the room hale and hearty not only defeated the virus but also got a victory over their mind's chatter. 

This bug has also taught us the importance of silencing our mind and it's constant chatter. Being an energy healer by profession, I always advocate the importance of mental quietude since that eventually affects our physical health. This period was a classic example. I came across many anxious people who couldn't understand why their mind was chattering so much, while they had to be stationed inside their walls. Sure, all those minds had personal issues. Having a mind over your mind is the key, and not mingling with humanity helped solve that issue. It also proved that every human's mind is so powerful that it can either choose to outshine or destroy oneself. 

Now when we think of all the above in terms of Vedanta: The Covid-19 could be an illusion, and maybe all of humanity is in the dream state imagining all the havoc this virus is displaying over the world? 

No doubt, there are no words for the loss of lives. 

If that's the truth: I pray we all wake up from this dream in the year 2021 and have a laugh at Maya's display. 

Wanderlust

Travel is defined as moving predictably. 

When a man decides to go on an excursion, he plans out every minute detail such as which hotel, car rental, which places to tour, and if possible even purchase the tickets of a tour or an expedition if it gets sold out quickly. 

Time is not a factor since the To-Do list is put on hold and we can practically watch the sunrise and the sunset. Time our breakfast, lunch, and dinner all according to our needs and wants. However, what memories we collect from such travel is not in our hands even if minute details have been taken care of! 

Any trip can be an eye-opener cause they always tend to teach us something in the end.

Man Proposes, God Disposes === Aldous Huxley 

I remember making this road trip to India when I was a teenager. We were taking an excursion towards Jaipur, a city in Rajasthan.

We had rented a car and hired a driver. While he was driving the car, my family was sitting and enjoying the ride and the sights around the town.

It was a hot summer afternoon, and Rajasthan is known for its' high temperatures cause of the desert. However, we had our windows rolled up, and the air conditioner was on, with music in the background.

I was in the back seat near the window, enjoying the music and feeling relaxed with the fresh air surrounding me.

Suddenly, there was a loud noise, and my reflexes were sharp enough to turn and hide my face. A person had thrown a stone towards our car, and it hit my window. The shattered glass was all around me. Our driver was quick enough to screech his brakes on time, to avoid a mishap on the road.

He was quick to take an exit to the nearest hospital while I lay still since did not want any of the glass to penetrate further into the skin. That moment, while he was driving, I could feel the warm air blowing through that open window, and felt the changes in temperature and how my body was laying there vulnerable to the circumstance.

No man has control over mishaps. One moment I was enjoying the cool temperature, rustic sighting, majestic architecture with fond company, and the second moment the same body was exposed to brittles, was tensed, mind became restless and agitated. 

 Although we try hard to make our trips memorable and fun, no journey is perfect.

Thank God, my wounds were not harsh, and I recovered in no time. We toured the city. No doubt the city was still the same old but my perception had changed as I was cautious all the time. 

Returned Home with Memories.

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Clap your Hands!

The learned have taught us and shall continue to preach, "Happiness is a state of mind!" 

I am happy when things go my way, however; the situations are usually never in our hand. 

Man proposes God disposes. 

We want to turn left at a certain junction, but life throws lemons, apples, and oranges at us. 

We pause. 

We are dejected, and we turn right instead. 

No doubt that path is so gloomy since it was not our decision. But, to embrace the situation is considered wise.

So be it! 

We stretch those muscles around our lips and force a smile. The society terms it happiness! 

A smile is happiness you'll find right under your nose. Tom Wilson

The peer pressure is such that we live under makes us embrace what the society tags us as. Some cases it is in our favor, however; most of the cases it is not. After a couple of chokes, we ingest the problem and try to carry on. Alas! the situation has still got us constipated. 

But, man is so resilient that he continues to row his boat even though the muscles ache, the oars have cracked up. 

'Giving up' should never be in thy dictionary since each breath is precious.  To be gifted a human machine is an out-of-the-world experience, being mindful of what comes our way allows us to use the intellect. 

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” 

― Mahatma Gandhi

This intelligence if used can help us cement the cracks that have developed due to some failures, ruptures or inadequacies. 

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go. T. S. Eliot

To learn to take a U-turn or pause at any junction just shows how adequate you are to bear upon the challenges. No doubt when that event turns in your favor..happiness becomes unlimited. 

“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” 

― Dalai Lama XIV

 It's the feeling like touching the Mars and coming back without paying a single dollar from your hard earned money.

“Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” 

― Abraham Lincoln

Next time an adversity comes your way; clap your hands. I will assure you with the clap will come a solution! 

Sacrifices make a Masterpiece!

Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do. – Pele

It takes me back to the days when I was a student. When board exams were around the corner; curfew would set in my home. The Radio and the television would be switched off. Not only was I cocooned to my room; but even my parents had cut off all ties with my extended family and friends on Sundays' and even talked in whispers. The only distraction would be the telephone; but even that my mom would keep the talk to the minimum and I would usually hear her end her talk with, "Let's meet after R's board exams." 
x

The whole scenario was revolving around me and my schedule that at times I would get overwhelmed and pressured to do well. 'What if I don't the whole society will mock me' were the nightmares I would get. Dreams of dejection, mockery, and frowning upon were more than ever! 

At times I would even confide in my mom asking her to not broadcast to the whole world, but then she had a very concise response. "You can't change them ever! They will even react if you succeed!" 

That was an eye-opener!

My train of thoughts started chugging on the opposite track where the goal was bright and luminous accompanied by laughter and celebration. That brought a smile, but then I realized the journey to that goal is sweaty, toiled with hard labor and sacrifice of lots of Me time to grasp the fundamentals of physics, biology, chemistry, and mathematics. I gave up daydreaming and toiled along. 

Days were numbered, but the goal made me smile so everything around me was temporary as I knew I wanted to latch on to that target. 

Soon the exams were over. The wait time was up, and the results were out! 

My hard work paid off!! I got into my dream college and today am happy at how my life turned out. 

If a writer chooses to step away from social media to create a master piece. So be it! 

Sacrifices made to attain that step are brief, but they are so worth it! 

Conclusion: A dream doesn't become a reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work. Colin Powell

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Is leaving the social media the right step for those who wish to focus on writing? Must writers stop interacting even in real life?#GoodWriting
This has been an Indispire write up!