Remember 2020? When the whole world was threatened by a terrible virus outbreak and nation-wide lockdown had to be imposed in many countries. When the healthcare infrastructure was crumbling under the load of increasing critical patients and the only way out of this was to stay at home, wear a mask and practice social distancing?

Well, these aren’t distant memories, because 2021 has brought another wave of Covid-19, this time much more severe and deadly. The symptoms have drastically changed owing to a mutated strain, and detection of the virus has become a lot more harder. The statistics and numbers look so vague to us, until this virus reaches our doorstep and infects someone we know.

Schools and colleges have been shut down, and studying has taken a new form through virtual platforms. Some are getting the chance to spend time with their family. Some are witnessing losses in business. Some are looking for a way out of poverty, since the pandemic destroyed their only source of livelihood. Some are suffering from this deadly virus and some are losing their dear and loved ones. This pandemic taught something new to every person and brought out different emotions from everyone.

Did we ever imagine that something as microscopic as a virus could lead to so many losses in the world? That a ‘normal viral infection’ could bring humanity down to its knees, and make us realize that this is a fight for survival. That we aren’t alone on this planet, we just inhabit this planet like many others.

This lockdown allowed nature to flourish. Animals reclaimed what was theirs and the sky could finally shed its true light, free from all the smoke and chemicals. Humans were silent and earth was blooming with colors again. Birds were surprised, yet happy, for how a bustling city had been turned into a silent place.

We have been thinking that this pandemic is a new enemy that mankind has to fight against, but the real enemy, right from the start has just been us. The wars that we have started, the violence that has been ravaging across different parts of the world and is now prevalent in almost every city.

We trust the government, the people-in-charge to help make things better. To help get things back to normal. Well, I want normal too. I want that normal where people live in peace and harmony, and help the world grow. I want that normal where we co-exist with nature and give back to the planet. I want that normal where soldiers and don’t die at the border every day.

 

How can can the world go back to ‘normal’ and still possess pain and cruelty?

 

It’s disturbing that bloodshed and barbarism has become so common. We know everything happening around the world, but now choose to view these incidents politically. Accusingly. Blindly.

It’s been a year into this pandemic, but it’s been decades since we managed to bring about any changes. With such little progress and so many mistakes, it feels like time flew away and now it’s too late for us to catch it.