When The World Locked-down

Come to think of it, the global pandemic is a boon! Before you start bashing me already, just think about it. When was the last time you had a leisurely stroll at your home in the morning? Or had a heart-to-heart with someone close without the thought that you need to be rushing somewhere? Or committed the sin of dedicating some luxurious me-time? Gone are those days of rushing, aptly known as the "B.C." or "before corona". Yes, the pandemic has brought a boon called "Complete lockdown", specially for the generation that slogs on weekdays and sloths on weekends. It has gifted us time to spend with close family, who had been ignored in the fast paced life we had been leading in "those days". Time to learn "home work" from parents and connect with the kids. The lucky ones locked with spouses around, it's the time to appreciate each other, instead of bickering, and strengthen the relationships. We have again been gifted a chance to enjoy pollution free air (AQI is less than 100 here, in a city where it used to be near 800 at times) and we have been blessed with clear blue skies. Now is the chance to unlearn the past and learn from our mistakes, take corrective action and implement lifestyle changes. Coz these days are here to stay. For a long time. Period. This is a chance to go back to the future with Indianness in everything - light home cooked meals in place of Instagram snacking, yoga instead of gyms and being with family instead of colleagues. The corporate world has realised finally that work-from-home can successfully be implemented in almost all industries and across functions. Unnecessary travel can be, and shall be. avoided, this too shall unfold shortly. Food for thought? I can slog 2 hours more while working-from-home, but would always rush at dot 6:30 PM on as many days as possible, trying to avoid a long drive home in bumper-to-bumper traffic. While we will realise the importance of outings and offices now, this is surely nature's way of pushing some sense back in humanity. Let's see who wins, Nature or Industry! As they say, change is the only constant - but we are yet to find what was the "constant" in this equatio - the pandemic-pushed-leisurely-culture or the rushed-up-life.