A particular microscopic parasite has come to Earth’s doorsteps and barged in unwelcomely, birthing a pandemic humanity was not ready for. We went to sleep in one world and woke up in another. I distinctly remember when I received a text message from a friend telling me that “it” was here, and I did not need to think twice about “what” was here.
Change forced its existence upon us, and we had nothing else to do but to comply. Comprehending the speed of the occurring changes was too overwhelming for us. Everything has shut down from work to public places, and that has created something I never thought we would have of this magnitude. Free time. With everything being suspended, free time has drenched us like mid-April rain. Damp and confused, I thought of the past and how we were living in an age that erased stillness from our behavioral vocabulary. It took a parasite smaller than bacteria to shatter our sense of reality and time. A few months ago, we were utterly devoured by the busyness of life; In constant pursuit of fulfillment, and dare I say, in the wrong places. Somehow down the road of living an insanely hectic routine, we began measuring our worth with our productivity, and in some unfortunate cases, the illusion of productivity.
Our priorities have shifted throughout our lives. Living in a time that has brought people to rediscover themselves is extraordinary. A time that has brought them to amend their relationship with food. We are turning to nature to nurture our bodies once again. I see people harvest their food, bake their own bread, and curdle their own milk into wondrous cheese. The delicious pleasure of knowing that we are responsible for the meal we put on our table is irreplaceable. The relationship we have with food is not the only relationship that has been drastically affected by the pandemic. As we are physically forced to social distance, we are redefining the human connection. One meter apart from one another, yet we are closer to each other than ever.
Although my appreciation for social media grew considerably for allowing me to stay connected with my loved ones, I am afraid it enclosed me in a bubble filled to the brim with familiar pressure. The pressure to be productive. The availability of free time has allowed people to do everything they were not able to do before. This includes decluttering their spaces, exercising, and reading the pile of books they left untouched. Unfortunately, some people consciously and subconsciously guilt others for not being as “productive” as they are. It’s only natural to assume that we should be making use of this spare time, but the last thing a person wants to experience in this pandemic is burnout. Now is probably the most important time to slow down, to breathe in, out, and breathe in again. It is time to welcome mindfulness in all its glory. We should remember that there isn’t a “right” way to cope. This is not a race. But do strive to have some sort of structure to your day to keep you sane and healthy. Other than that, stay safe and enjoy the peculiarity of our current days.
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