Adapting to change is not easy as much as we all want to and Richa has gone through a big change, with chin up. But when something larger hits us, it suddenly lifts the fog, as it has happened with her. We are all walking with you Richa, virtually if not physically and we will meet soon!
The long walk
We have all heard and even subscribed to (when it suited us)
the adage – Change is the only constant. And boy! How life has changed for all
of us Indians for a minimum of 3 weeks upcoming. Being a work-from-home
professional since last 15 years, I am now used to taking in my stride, the disruptions
to my schedule caused by kids’ summer holidays or maid’s prolonged absences,
reason notwithstanding. Even the gloomy spectre of not being able to go to
malls, cinemas or dining out did not dampen my spirit much as I am essentially
a homebody. But this change was nothing in comparison to the change I was
battling already. How?
Our family had undergone another life defining shift last
year when we shifted to another area within Bangalore to support my husband in
his line of work. For me life was severely disrupted on various levels, I deeply
felt it as a loss on many fronts – circle of close friends, trusted support
system, a well mapped vicinity, kids’ school next door… oh I can go on! The
shift had brought about a lot of resentment in me because I personally did not
benefit from the shift at all (or so I chose to believe), I counted the losses
every day – till this lock down hit us.
Believe it or not, it is this lock down that is now helping me
come to terms with the shift finally. Suddenly all that I deemed ‘lost’ since
so many months - is no longer a physical variable in our lives for some time to
come – friends, school, surrounding, domestic help – none of these things are
applicable for survival right now. None of these are in the picture for anyone and
yet, isn’t the picture of life complete in itself, for the moment, by just the
fact that we are alive and healthy and safe?
It is the lock down which has forced me to reassess my stance,
look around more, appreciate some ‘blessings during this lock down’ that the
‘forced shift’ has bestowed on us. Like my new residence comes with a big
terrace – a huge blessing for us apartment dwellers to get some fresh air in
these cooped in times. Like the Nilgiris store right under my block which is
working hard to make sure that none of us run out of essentials – and we don’t
need to step out at all. Like the same husband and kids pitching in more than
usual without asking. Like the ‘long 500-step’ walk from my block to the main
gate, which I thoroughly savoured earlier today, when I walked to the gate to
hand over the house-help her salary for the month.
So, it is change which defines life; else we all would still
be just microbes… and this too shall pass.
Though I still harbour a longing to return to the bosom of dearly
known sometime in future… but for now savouring this long walk.
-Richa Agarwal
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