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.
