Living Within Four Walls Since Corona Knocked But…!

In the prevailing unprecedented COVID-19 induced pandemic, the sense of being confined to “four walls” of homes throughout the day to contain its spread has started taking toll on mental well-being.

For a brief period, it may be okay but being indoors for longer time is definitely not advisable because you need to expose yourself to sunlight, meet people to get rid of the mental stress and emotional congestions that may manifest in the physical body too in the form of some diseases.

Now, nothing is hidden from these walls since the outbreak of the deadly virus.  Earlier, Sunday used to be more special when everybody was at home but in a cheerful mood…Everything things has changed since the pandemic set in and restrictions imposed to contain it. People are scared of usual social visits. Staying home constantly for a longer period is exhausting. The desperation to break monotony makes one feel nothing but helpless.

Having watched reality show Big Boss, I feel, I am now a part of the Big Boss House, not for 90 days, but for uncertain period.  Anyhow, slowly and steadily, one has become used to it and thanks to the digital era facilitating virtual meetings, webinars and WhatsApp video calls. Does physically meeting others you know have any substitute…?

The TV remote is used with quick press over the news channel, giving the alarming global figures and threat of existing and new variants. Mind is so occupied with word Corona or COVID-19, which perhaps now has become the most used word ever in the history of the language – spoken or printed – since December 2019.

Being confined within the “four walls” of your home is now a living experience for the past more than a year thanks to hitherto un-experienced concept of Lockdown.

In the prevailing scenario marked by plethora of future projections and predictions, one can, however, take courage from the time tested human capability of survival and adaptability. Nothing should stop us from hoping that it would be back to normal life – going to the office, enjoying weekends, mothers busy getting kids ready for schools, going to the markets without any inhibition, watching movies at the PVRs, visiting friends and relatives etc.

In fact, hope means hoping even when things seem hopeless. But it is definitely a walking dream which will shape your coming time. It’s a double edged sword.  When we are in a bad situation, we hope it will change for the better and when we are in a good situation, we hope it will last forever.

We are enjoying the life because Einstein invested his entire life and gave some theories to the world and the world has not been the same ever since. Edison’s life changed the lifestyle of the rest of the world.  Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela successfully employed peace as a tool for political emancipation. Milton and Tagore redefined poetry. Zakir Hussain brought about a new dimension of Tabla playing. Roger Bannister and Edmund Hillary redefined human abilities. So, every human life not only has the power to lift itself, but also has the power to lift the collective consciousness of humanity.

Now the question is as to what part are we going to play?

Accepting the current situation, just wait and  hope to see it is over or do our best by willingly adhere to Covid Appropriate Behaviour get back to the pre-corona times, to break out of the confines of “four walls”.

About Author: Harish Monga is Ferozepur-based blogger and journalist. He has also brought out “Frankly Speaking”- a collections of his essays.