The Lockdown experience

 Since the nation was put under complete lockdown on 11th August, it is the 10th day today. With some places declared red zone, people have experienced an unusual life. Lockdown is a new experience for our nation of ours whose great wall of volunteers and plans kept the virus at bay until 11th August.

People knew it was coming, yet we were never prepared for it. The situation has changed everything we do and think. Now, I love to hate the virus and the situation. The first few days of the lockdown have been challenging, having to switch and customize the regular schedule, but the lockdown has also provided time to reflect on myself and life at large.
Life is a race, and if one fails to cope with the pace, you are left behind. And in taking part in the race, I have forgotten to look at and admire the small things in life. I have never thought of looking out of the window and enjoying the little animals going on with their daily rituals undisturbed by the pandemic.
The lockdown has given me time to look at myself and reflect on how these 36 years have passed by me. I am contemplating life deeper and have realized that there are a lot of things I haven't done in life. I haven't told my loved ones how much they meant to me. I still hold grudges with some people for small things and praise others for some obvious reason. I have given 8-10 hours a day to my work and 3-4 hours to my leisure, and waste the other 8 hours sleeping, leaving only about 2 hours for my family. They deserve more than this and one with quality.
Reading was my passion during my high school times but lost the pace once into work life. I may not have read like the kids do today, but I read my share, which I am proud of.  And thanks to the lockdown, I am back into reading. Having nothing to do, I have fallen in love with the books once more, and I hope to be in love forever. Having completed two books today, I still have 4 more to go. Reading has uplifted me to the podium of new life.
Living away from my loved ones, the lockdown has taught me to love what I have. I have learnt to value the little amount of everything in the kitchen and use them judiciously. It has pushed me to switch to survival mode and save everything that I have in my possession. With no sign of the virus going away soon, the survival mode shall be ON for sometime, I suppose.
The time has also given me a break from life. Humans are so much into the race of life, so much so that we forget to take a break from it, sit down, and reflect on how life has been. Once in a while, humans deserve a break from the busy schedule and to give our machine-body time to repair itself.
Everyone loves listening to music, but how many of us really contemplate it? The lockdown has showered us with love; we can listen to music and get ourselves into it. This is the time to immerse ourselves, keeping aside the quality of our voice we have.
Above all, the lockdown has provided a great opportunity for all the Bhutanese to serve the nation by doing NOTHING. Yes, stay home and take care of yourself; do not come out, AND YOU ARE SERVING THE TSA WA SUM. Who wouldn't love to serve the nation? This is the rarest of the rare times to serve the nation in a very unique way.
I don't know how long the lockdown will hang on with us, but I guess Bhutanese are learning to accept it in our own way, and I am sure we are preparing for a new normal. 

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