Pandemic: The Positive Side

The covid-19 pandemic has proven to be a social crisis, spreading fear of loss and insecurity wave after wave. The period has seen the loss of family members, job losses, and so on, making it difficult to breathe. However, as we usher in the new year with renewed optimism that the pandemic is ending soon, let’s look back and think about how this entire situation has influenced our lives for the better.

Gratitude: The past two years have taught us to be grateful for the simple things we possess in life. The luxuries of the past are no longer relevant when we thank God for meeting our basic needs. We have learned to admire the value of sound health, which has previously been forgotten in the busy hurry-up and rush-down of our corporate lives. Home-cooked meals would never have tasted so delicious before. Prior to the pandemic, technological advancements in video conferencing, messaging apps, and online meetings did not get their due recognition. Also, we are grateful to the school and the teachers who made sure the learning process continued, even under such adverse conditions.

Closer Families: Families were reunited due to the crisis. In today’s time, the majority of families are nuclear. It took people days and weeks to get in touch with their parents and other close relatives. People were too busy to even make a phone call, much less meet in person, to inquire about their well-being. The pandemic taught us the value of being loved. It taught us how wonderful it is to share your thoughts and feelings with someone close. It also reminded us how beautiful it is to lend a listening ear for reasons no other than just the happiness of sharing it. Many people moved back to their hometowns to live with their extended families and to support each other when they were in need.

Time with Children: We all wanted to be as involved in the lives of our children as possible, but we found it challenging to find the time. The time that we have spent with our kids in the last two years is a time that deserves to be treasured, both by the parents and by the kids. When the schools were open, things were easier for us parents, but if we think about it, we didn’t have the opportunity to be involved in their classrooms. Having understood the difficulties that the child must face in understanding difficult concepts, we can also appreciate the effort they put forth. To keep them engaged, we devised games and strategies. We cooked together, cleaned the house together, and had a lot of fun. Seeing them grow and evolve was a joy. Working from home allowed us to be there for them when needed. There were no regrets or feelings of guilt about leaving them behind or failing to focus on their needs.

Care for Oneself: With pandemic came lockdown, whether self-imposed or forced by the government. Being restricted from leaving the house gave us some extra time to reflect on ourselves, particularly our mental and physical wellbeing. In comparison with the non-pandemic days earlier, within the last year, more people have included exercising in their daily routines. More people have also adopted healthy eating habits, such as eating nutritious home-cooked meals. In essence, people have become more self-aware and are realizing the need to balance work, home, and health for the first time.

Pursue Passion: Despite the chaos of juggling between different work and personal commitments, one positive change that has been noticed is that many people have found the time to pursue their passions. Among these can be learning an art form, learning different skills, or exploring the environment around us. Several people came up with novel ideas for launching a new business. Like-minded individuals came together to help the victims of the pandemic, to the extent that they could.

Plan and Invest: In terms of financial planning, the last two years have been the most challenging. Many households were ruined due to job losses or the unfortunate death of their breadwinners. Our experience on the other side gave us the impetus to plan for the future and to protect our families. We saved and invested more than we did two years ago. There was significantly higher participation of women in earning a living and becoming independent.

While we cannot compensate for the hardships we have endured because of Covid-19, we can endeavour to make things right. Our fight is far from over. Let’s do our part. Make sure you wear a mask and maintain a distance from others. Stay safe!!