Dear 2020, what a year you have been!

2020, what a year it has been. It is the most unprecedented, unimaginable, inconceivable year that anyone could have envisaged in 2019. When people were talking about how the world was becoming a smaller place, how global cities were accessible in a matter of few hours and formalities, 2020 is the year that built walls back and shattered hopes of one and all. It showed us the difference between necessity, comfort and luxury. It made us understand minimalistic living. I would also like to extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of all those who had succumbed to the disease and hope their loved ones rest in peace. A silent prayer goes out to everyone who is suffering from this virus and/or have lost their jobs, a virus that has completely turned the world upside down. Wishing you all a speedy recovery and get back on your feet soon. For those who are doing well or have recovered, please take very good care of yourselves and follow all the guidelines to ensure not only your safety but your family’s too. I thank all the frontline personnel, working day and night, to ensure our safety and health. As the year comes to an end, I hope that we return to normal soon, with some adjustments for the better.

While the year has affected our ways with a lot of negativity, there are certain aspects in which the year was better. For one, the pollution levels have gone down during the lockdown, nature could take a breath of fresh air and heal itself from anthropogenic activities. It was evident in the way nature reacted to the lockdown that it is in fact human activities that has destroyed nature in the last few decades. Anybody who doesn't accept this fact is just turning a blind eye to the stark reality. Everyone will accept that the air is cleaner, water is purer, birds chirpier and plants greener due to the lockdown. In the last decade that I have spent in India, I have never experienced a summer that was almost non-existent (with temperatures much lower than the averages), cooling rains throughout- it was really a pleasant experience, reiterating the importance of controlling industrial activities after the lockdown as well. I would like to focus in this article about the positive effects of the lockdown, as enough is already being said every day about the detrimental effects of the virus on the world, plunging us further into an abyss of unhappiness.

So what have you been up to this year? Hope you and your families were (are) safe during the lockdown. Yes, this year was despicable, people are waiting for it to be over, but it can also be an opportunity for everyone looking at the right places. An opportunity to learn something different from the usual, since everything we had considered normal was out the window for a toss. My original plan for the year had been a domestic trip (successfully completed in January 2020 thankfully), an international trip, learning to ride a bicycle (it's never too late) and learn swimming. Since most of these could not be fulfilled this year, I explored other options that I could start working on at home, without much interaction with people. This is an article to share my experiences this year.

1. Yoga and Meditation : Every Indian has heard of the benefits of practising yoga and meditation. But it was never a priority due to lack of time, or perhaps interest as well. Our school taught us meditation and organised practice sessions but the habit was lost soon after I graduated high school. When the lockdown started, and like most, all of us were working from home, I lost out on the exercise I used to get as a part of my daily routine to/in the office. So, I started exploring other options - gyms were also closed. I joined online yoga classes to experience the various benefits first hand. Am happy to say that they weren't lying. It definitely improves both physical and mental fitness.  

2. Gardening : I have never tried gardening or growing vegetables/ fruits/ flowering plants. Lack of space was always a constraint. When I saw my colleague's fruits of labour (vegetables, literally), it inspired me to take up gardening. Despite lack of space still being a limitation, I have taken up gardening at potted plants level by sowing chilli and tomato seeds. A few months down the line, I am proudly looking at my first flower buds that hopefully will eventually blossom into vegetables (/fruit, if you are one of those people who calls tomato technically a fruit). Please pray for my success (will update you if you are interested to know). I have researched on how to sow seeds, take care of seedlings/ saplings, required nutrition, organic pesticides and insecticides, how to transplant, what to expect, symptoms of various diseases/ malnutrition and so much more. Through this experience, I was amazed at nature and its simple wonders. It has been an enriching experience indeed. It also makes us value every piece of food that ends up on our plate. It also emphasises the natural cycles – plants producing veggies/fruits, whose inedible parts become valuable nutrients for their growth prompting me to add peels to soil to turn into compost & maintaining a healthy population of earthworms.

3. Reading : For all of you who know me personally, you are well aware of my love for reading. Reading for me is like going on a vacation. I strongly agree with Jhumpa Lahiri who said: “That's the thing about books. They let you travel without moving your feet.” Though travel was restricted this year, I got my chance to experience numerous places, cultures and people without stepping out of my house. But what made 2020 special in terms of my reading? I am now close to finishing 41 books this year and more, if time permits (my yearly challenge was to read 36 books for 2020). Also, since the lockdown restricted my visits to the bookstores, along with online shopping, I have subscribed to both Audible and Kindle Unlimited, (thanks to Amazon for giving me ways to still read books). It was my first time experience with audiobooks, due to which I have enjoyed a few books narrated by the authors themselves, and also someone as amazing as Tom Hanks!

4. Cryptic Crosswords: My Dad is an avid cryptic crosswords solver. For the uninitiated, cryptic crosswords are not like direct word clues, but as the name suggests are cryptic and the answer is not in its literal meaning. For the first time this year, I have learnt the art of solving cryptic crosswords. It was like playing with words, and for someone who devours words and loves languages, it was a game in itself. I thank my dad for introducing me to this art. I’m glad to say that now, I can solve easy to medium level clues. Trying to get better with more practice.

5. Knowledge and Education: Learning and upgrading oneself without the pressure of examinations, is like a fun ride. Lockdown brought a chance for us to improve our knowledge. Considering the amount of time saved that was earlier spent in commute can be put to better use now. Though I had enrolled for a diploma course last year, I got a chance to learn and pursue the course for a greater part in this year. It was an educational experience improving knowledge in my field of work, the environment. Hopefully I finish with flying colours soon! On another hand, I have always loved learning languages, therefore, in this lockdown, I had learnt how to read and write Malayalam. It is one of the toughest languages to learn and it was motivating to learn the alphabets and words. Continuing my thirst for languages, I have watched many Marathi movies in this lockdown to enhance my Marathi and not forget in my absence from Mumbai.

6. Work for Home and Work from Home: With almost everybody else (other than the essential workers), I have been working from home, with the help of the latest technology to communicate with colleagues, vendors, sub-contractors and clients. On the flip side, I have also worked for home more than I ever did. From washing utensils to sweeping floors, every person has embraced the work that comes with maintaining a house. It has also helped us appreciate the work done by house-help in our daily lives.

My biggest learning this year – “This is not the year to get everything you want, this is the year to appreciate everything you have”. Whoever said this, knew what they were talking about!

Stay Home, Stay Safe. Take all necessary precautions when going out.

United we stand (with social distancing), divided we fall.