WHAT DO I MISS THE MOST ? //CAPTION One of the ways of keeping yourself contented, the ancient Stoic philosophy used to say, is to find happiness not in what 'could be' but in what 'is'. For example, rather than pegging your happiness on attaining things that are not whithin your control, like a promotion at work or getting 90+ in exam or things that you hope for but are likely not to happen, like Kings XI Punjab winning IPL, one should strive to be thankful for much smaller delights- not having a toothache, or having a place to go to work to. It's not that these things are trivial; you realise how important they are when you lose a job or have a painful cavity. Just that when we are healthy and gainfully employed we consider these to be a part of our 'grounded state' , and do not consider them blessings to be thankful for and happy over. Covid has made me realise one of those things that I never felt I should be thankful for, was a privilege. Crowds. Yes !! Crowds. As Diwali and Durga Pooja come close , and the coronavirus epidemic shows no sign of abating, it is plainly evident that things will be different thing year, or rather should, if we don't intend for the body count to keep rising. How can the holiday season be the holiday season without people, not just people we know, friends and family, but also strangers, the happy din and the noise, the smiling faces ? It just won't be . You can play cricket in front of empty stadium and televise it, it's not the same but at least it's a compromise we can live with, but Durga Puja without Pandal Visit and Diwali without socialising ? No you can't do that.... Which is why, now that they are no longer there, I want crowds back in my life, within my personal space, the sweat of other students' armpits soaking through their track t-shirt to stick to my back, the nursery kids who stomp on my toe with their hard shoes, the disembodied hand that I suspect is trying to reach for my phone or wallet (which generally has just 50-100 rupees). And once the pandemic resolves itsef, which I hope it will, I promise to be thankful every time I get coughed in my face when packed into a small place, even though that breath might smell of cigrette or food rotten in the crevices of the teeth, because atleast it won't be the arrow of death from the quiver of Yamraaj. Thanks to the Covid, my expectations of the world have been recalibrated. I think I will be a happier person from now on :-) ~© Shivangi Priya Thanks for poking deer 🦌:
