Yes, I survived without her for 1.5 months.
I do miss her but what I miss is her smile, cheerful behaviour, that way she
talks to my child making my morning comfortable.
For very long, I am seeing post on various
social media that being positive during quarantine is a class privilege. A lot of
us (you and me – in the privileged class) can be creative during these times,
we cook innovatively, we pursue our hobbies, we spend time with family. But a
lot of people (not so privileged) such as migrant labours, poor people are
facing difficult time. They have no food to eat, they fear job loss etc. I have
heard many times that these two classes are in same storm but definitely not on
the same boat.
Here's my take….
It's a state of mind, to see positive in
any situation doesn't have to be because of class or comfort. Coming back to
where I have started. Sapna, she has been off work since early March, before
the lockdown (because that's when she got sick and I sent her home, yes, I was
in fear zone back then). She is calling up regularly to check if we are fine.
She informed me that she is coming to our neighbour house before centre
government announced the lockdown. The lockdown was sudden for her and for us
as well. She still often calls to check how are things with us, how is my child
coping with the situation.
She came over the other day to collect the
advance I wanted to give her, she needed it for obvious reasons. She is mother
of two children 9 and 12 years old, I believe. Her children are staying with
their grandparents in her village. As a farmer primarily, she lost her entire
field of vegetables to a herd of wild gaur just a few weeks before lockdown and
therefore lost all the extra money she could hope to get from it.
Anyway, so she came over and sauntered in
as happy as can be despite her personal hardships, the fact that her husband is
out of work, the fact that, as a farmer she lost her entire crop overnight, so
has nothing to bank on, the fact that whatever money I gave her won't really
cover her expenses to live but that's as much as I could afford.
The security guard didn’t allow her to enter
the gate of our colony. He came to our apartment to get the money and handed it
over to Sapna. I asked her over phone, how she managed to come all the way upto
here when she can come and see me. She is her very positive tone told me,
“didi, the police is very understanding, they allowed me and gave me food as
well. I didn’t really need it.” She told me how, people in her surrounding are
helping each other in this crisis time. Most of the people who were earlier
engaged in different works are now selling vegetables and fruits as it is the
only allowed service currently. People are not bothered about competing with
each other, rather they are taking extra step to support those who are new to
this business in getting the fruits and vegetables from bulk market. She said,
everyone should get the minimum bread and butter, that’s it. People have really
adapted themselves to the current situation. What moved me was the way she was
appreciating the government initiatives, praising the lockdown, hoping for the
best of health for our country, grateful for all she has in this time of need.
She is happy, full of life and hope and positivity.
This made me realise that happiness is easy,
it's a state of mind, not something you have in material form. Happiness isn't
comfort, it's a state of being. While writing this for you, I was wishing to
have a photograph of Sapna too. Her smile would have probably made you smile as
well.
So, today’s quote for my quarantine dairy
is
Life isn’t about waiting for the
storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.
– Vivian Greene
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