The waiting game

It’s been 3 weeks since the Corona virus took hold of India and the prime minister announced a nation-wide lockdown. The days have passed easily enough for me with little or no inconvenience. Yes, I realise that I’m blessed. There are probably thousands of people who have not been so lucky and might have faced many hardships. At the same time there are very many people who have stepped up and done their best for others helping in whichever way they can. Financial assistance is important no doubt, and yet teams and volunteers have to be mobilised to deliver the assistance to those in need of them. It is heartening to see so many people going out of their way and putting in effort for social causes. This is humanity at its best.

At the same time I’m not in exactly a sweet spot financially. There are payments to be made and future income is uncertain. But one thing that has helped me take my mind off these worries is to treat each day as it comes. I take assurance in the fact that I’ve made it through life so far without any hiccups; so I put my faith in God and do my best.

When I think about finances I remember a scene from The Fiddler on the Roof when the milkman breaks in to a jig and starts to sing. He says if I was a rich man’s son – I wouldn’t have to worry. Indeed all of us have a reservoir of support from our loved ones who can help us in times of difficulty. But what if a person remained in a difficult situation his entire life? Surely, at some point his loved ones would say mate, you have to do your share. It would take a lion hearted individual to continue to help that person for as long as he could. There are 2 things which come in play here. One is the perception of the benefactor – whether he believes the person who he is helping is putting in sincere efforts of his own to improve his situation. The other factor is how much effort it takes to give that person the help he needs.

This enforced period of home stay is an opportunity to repair relationships with our family members. It is a great time to sort out differences and talk of supressed feelings. Sometimes, writing down feelings helps you understand your own bitterness and is a way of communicating in a non-confrontational way also so that matters don’t escalate beyond your control. It is natural that we can evolve as human beings and as we embrace new thoughts and behaviour our personality also changes; sometimes without us realising it. Self-introspection is also useful to analyse our own belief systems and be more accepting of other opinions.

Patience is a virtue. This lockdown has given us as much as it has taken. We have no choice but to sit it out and wait; willingly or not we will have to be patient. The future is before us and the present times demand that we be sincere in our endeavours to become better men.