A warm embrace, the human touch, and the presence of loved ones around – these were the things I longed for the most during my quarantine. Yes, I’ve also been witness to the invisible notorious guest that has engulfed the world. Setting aside negative vibes, which are endless and omnipresent, I’d like to share lessons learnt from this new experience.
It was for the first time in years that my husband (who was in isolation as he had also contracted the virus) and I celebrated our wedding anniversary on a video call, being in the same house but distant. The cake was there but we couldn’t even see it, let alone the thought of cutting it. When we got the piece of cake to eat, our taste buds deceived us. The days of my quarantine took along a few more missed anniversaries and birthdays, leaving me with the thought that surviving is more important than celebrating. We should celebrate each moment we live.
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Blessed that I was in home isolation, which makes it a little comfortable, yet something was amiss. I was there yet not there as I couldn’t step out of the room, interact face to face with anybody, couldn’t be privy to whatever happened outside of that room, and could only see the days go by. The most challenging thing was to maintain a healthy state of mind in an enclosed space and just soak in the silence. It’s as much a mental battle as it is physical. Donning a combatting role and staying resilient help.
{{/usCountry}}Blessed that I was in home isolation, which makes it a little comfortable, yet something was amiss. I was there yet not there as I couldn’t step out of the room, interact face to face with anybody, couldn’t be privy to whatever happened outside of that room, and could only see the days go by. The most challenging thing was to maintain a healthy state of mind in an enclosed space and just soak in the silence. It’s as much a mental battle as it is physical. Donning a combatting role and staying resilient help.
{{/usCountry}}This one-of-a-kind experience further strengthened my belief that family and friends are our saviours no matter what. We should thank God for having sent these angels in our life. My first saviour turned out to be one of my old friends, a doctor, who had undergone Covid-19 treatment herself. She immediately came to my rescue and asked me to get the medicines and equipment required. I acted as instructed. It helped in putting things under control quite early. At home, my father-in-law took good care of us despite his own health limitations. He managed it all like a lone soldier in the battlefield. All the loved ones played a major role in making things comfortable by contributing their bit and doing more than asked for. Another lesson learnt was that kids have a better coping mechanism, and it makes me proud to think how my daughter handled the chaos.
Isolation doesn’t come easy. It can have a dismaying effect on the mind, body, and soul. What kept me going was will power and a calm mind. I made sure to read books, write my thoughts, no TV or social media exposure, and meditate. Messages from friends which suggested, “Stay positive to be negative”, made me realise the power of positivity.
My recommendation: Carry a positive attitude to remain healthy and fit, even in testing times. Take it as an experience and move on with an enriched perspective.
vepreeti@gmail.com
The author is a Chandigarh-based freelance writer