COVID- 19: As I See It

The Coronavirus outbreak has certainly brought a huge change in everyone’s lives. This pandemic started in India with only a few cases but like many countries, it didn’t take too long for this outbreak to have our motherland also in its fearful grip. The virus started spreading like wildfire and soon the name and the fear the virus carried along with itself was at every house in every state in India. There was a panic-stricken atmosphere and soon India was put under a sudden lockdown.

Now, many of us had never faced anything like this in our lives, and possibly due to this it evoked various emotions in our mind. People stopped going to offices and work station. Teenagers and school-going children were stopped from going to school where many spend more working hours than at their own houses; and as a teenager myself, this experience made me extremely confused. I had no clue what to do with this extra time.

The first few days went like an extended weekend, filled with fun as this extra time was utilized in playing board games, watching television and movies, and spending undisturbed time with my parents, especially my father. At that time this felt like one of the best things, for I had finally got the time to work on my hobbies and passions without any pressure. I spend time learning new crafts, drawing, painting, dancing and finishing all those books which were kept in my bookshelf waiting for their chance which never seemed to come. I could finally balance out my regular studies with my hobbies.

By the third week, I started realizing that this extra time which was given to us was not just for fun but probably also for trying out various things which I was never able to. So, keeping this thought in mind, I rescheduled my day to fit all my previous recreations, my studies and allotted some time to take up new projects. By now my online school sessions have started so the majority of my time in the morning and afternoon was spent on it, but I still wanted to accomplish what I had decided. Therefore, I decided that I should not waste my time on watching meaningless daily soaps and rather spend this time wisely and just by doing this I had at least two to three hours extra in my hand.

I decided to take up some new online courses. I took up various study-related sessions but few were also related to meditation, yoga, learning the meanings of our religious texts like the Bhagwat Gita and various shlokas related to various deities. While the sessions regarding my studies certainly helped me tackle the various problem in the subjects which seem difficult for me, but taking up the courses regarding meditation and understanding the meaning of new shlokas have indeed taught me various life lessons which I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

By learning how to meditate, I have learnt how to have a peaceful mind and think clearly which undoubtedly will help me in all situations of life, be it a stressful exam preparation or any time when my decisions will put me into unfavourable situations. Learning yoga has itself has proved to be very beneficial for me as now I have improvised my breathing techniques which help me in having a better concentration and focus. It has allowed being both mentally and physically sound.

“One should always learn from others experiences, be it good or bad”, is something which I have both learnt and understood from rehearsing and revising the Bhagwad Gita and Ramayana. Both these sacred texts have imparted me with incomparable knowledge which I shall treasure forever in my life, for now, I have started understanding the ideals by which I should lead my life such that I do good deeds and fulfil all my duties.

I personally believe all this had not been possible if I had not allotted my time properly; so above all the other lessons, I have learnt that if you have a firm mind and decide to do something, you will find out the time to do it. This lockdown has taught me the importance of wise time management, which will surely help me in the future. Since this lockdown has taught me so many valuable lessons, I personally believe it is a blessing in disguise for me.