In The Midst Of The Pandemic

Exactly a year ago, who would have thought that in a few months’ time, we would find ourselves in a situation that is simply unthinkable to many. This time, a year ago, little did I know and little did we know, we were only a few months away from experiencing history-in-the-making. And suddenly, nothing else seems to matter anymore. This is all we can talk about right now. How many deaths? How many cases? Who lost their jobs? All I can think about is the future, whether this dense dark cloud of uncertainty that has been hovering over us for almost a year now, will eventually get tired and go away. Whether, the rest of us could go through this unscathed.

Throughout this dark time, ironically, it does a good job in revealing a lot of people’s true colours.  Your politicians, your loved ones, your closest friends. It is apparent that compassion and sympathy are severely lacking in some and how they value their survival and greed over everyone else without thinking that their tactless decision could put other people in great jeopardy. Like filling up three trolleys at the supermarket just because you can afford it while the poor had to go home with empty hands just because they had to wait for payday, or firing thousands of people just because the top leaders would not want to get out of this with an empty pocket and not put their lavish lifestyle at risk; or how running an election in the midst of the pandemic and stole some lives as the aftermath. But what do I know?

And on the other hand, you could also see how some people would go to the ends of the Earth to ensure that the less fortunate would have some food on the table for the next few days regardless of religion and race. And you could see our front liners doing all they could to save lives even if it means staying away from their family. You could listen to the stories of the loved ones seeing their family member being taken away before their eyes and not knowing if that was their last goodbye. It is heart wrenching. While we go on with our ‘new normal’ whatever the heck that means, pretending that everything is partially okay, I still feel that our freedom is being snatched away from us and the anxiety is suffocating. I fear for the safety of my loved ones, I grieve for the sole breadwinners that had lost their jobs, I grieve for the future bride and groom who had to give up on their wedding dream, I grieve for the the small businesses that are barely surviving, and I grieve for the family of that one year old and all the other loved ones who were left behind.

At this time, it is so important to look out for each other. Give help to those who need. This is the universal pass for you to be a busy body for once. Ask if the people around you are okay. As if they need help. Recognize your privileges. And the least all of us could do is to help ensure that some families could happily go to bed with a full stomach.