At the end of 8th week of HBW

When I penned a blog 6 weeks back, HBW felt new. I went into the mode with a belief that over a month, or a maximum of 2 months it will all be over. But as one week rolled into another, time became a blur and there was lesser clarity on when this will end. The light at the end of the tunnel felt like a mirage.

Over the weeks, work continued, busier than ever. Partly due to more meetings that compensate for the lack of physical interaction, and partly because it just takes more time to do the same amount of work at home than at office (maybe it is just me). I miss the energy in the office. But there is also so much going on in response to COVID and I am thankful to be part of that action. Work aside, everyone is trying out new things. I am no different. By now, I am a better chef and an amateur baker. I have, to some extent, got used to home workouts. But I remain a terrible zumba dancer despite 3 classes a week. I penned three blogs, this one included. April was a busy month on the personal front. I celebrated in style the Telugu and Tamil new year, my birthday and completion of 19 years at the Bank. I even created a folder for COVID lock down, which mostly contains pictures of my cooking, screen shots of zoom calls, and downloads of key news articles. Memories are important.

The human mind is amazing. We simply adapt. I have adapted to a point that this feels normal and will have to re-adapt when things open. It's been 2 months already and if predictions are to go by, it will be another 2 months before we experience any kind of normalcy - a 'different normal' than what we know. I am afraid my mind will lean towards being conservative in the short term when it comes to undertaking leisure travel, greeting people with a warm hug, taking public transportation, etc. But I will sail through that phase as well. Self-resilience is vital.

"When was the last time you did something for the first time?" – this is one of my favorite quotes. We didn't ask for the corona virus, and we surely don't want it to stay. But this lock down experience has given us the opportunity to try new things and do things differently, gaining skills we may need in the future. Some of them could become a way of life.

When I speak to some of my friends, the general sentiment is that post COVID, nothing will change, and life will be just the same. But I strongly believe that at the end of it all, every one of us will come out with some positive change. Even if it is something as trivial as appreciating the sound of the birds. As we are still in a state of not knowing when we will return to normal, I continue to keep my spirits high and outlook positive. This may seem difficult, but there is no better way to be.