Sprinkle some SMILES.......

Our first lockdown...gloom, uncertainty of what the virus was capable of... the constant updates of the rising infection rates and deaths...

But amongst all this there also was a sense of rejoicing for some.

It was a sign of Liberation! Liberation from the daily morning alarms!

Liberation from the daily rush hour commutes!

Liberation from finding the right workwear for the meetings!

Liberation from gulping down breakfast while locking the front door!

And many more reasons I can list down, which gave us a feeling of joy from which we couldn’t contain ourselves with the extra time we now had in our hands to spare.

We experimented with food - bringing on our mum’s traditional recipes, or learning the science of cooking from scratch and some of us even produced restaurant style menus!

We all achieved a sense of pride showcasing our culinary skills....using various social media platforms .. Facebook .. YouTube... Instagram... and so on...

During these times, there were also a surge of awareness towards our physical health and well being.. as part of our daily regimes and the extra spare time, some of us took to walk, online yoga or exercise videos to keep fit, with the focus shifting to the numbers on the weighing scale! Even though we had no beach to prepare for. Neither any summer garden parties to dress up for, people started getting more conscious of their own health and factors influencing it!

Factors like ... the importance of families ... being together ... staying safe ... feeling alive ... keeping healthy.....

Everyone abided by the law to play their part to save lives for the benefit of the community, looking forward to clap for our emergency services .. wearing masks... shopping with consideration...maintaining our social distance...building up hope that tough times won’t last and soon the rainbow will emerge bringing with it hope and clarity...

Which it did to some extent...there were small scale weddings .. family meetings.. exploring stores.. but the virus struck again.. and so did Lockdown 2..

But this time... we were not prepared.. to accept it in the same manner.. to relive our experiments or lockdown routines... and this time the focus moved to our Mental well being!

One can find numerous activities to engage for our physical well being but to practise for our mental well being requires a greater will power and discipline.

Happiness... is what we are trying to find... amongst all the news, isolations and in this second lockdown.

I have searched too and after a long finding ... IT’S ALL WITHIN US... and AROUND US... its the emergence of that single rose in the entire rose bush!

HAPPINESS has different connotations for people, but for me... in this past year ... I wake up and am able to see or speak to my loved ones....meet my friends... it has given enough reasons for me to be HAPPY!

So SMILE and project it with utmost energy.. to spread it over the viral gloom.

Pick up the phone and call upon people to show you care and think about them... there is greater HAPPINESS in giving than is in receiving.... especially when communication is the only ways to reach and give!!!

Pick that phone up and exercise those fingers...

Listen to those familiar voices...

Fill up the echoes of the empty rooms....

Share the stories you have been compiling...

As someone may be waiting....

For that ..... ‘RING’ !!

By

Anu Raina