CORONA – I LOVE YOU!

Call me crazy but I really love and respect the Corona virus. Nope, ain’t trying to get your attention, but when I heard the way the virus was sweeping across the world this is what I remembered:

In Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna had said whenever there is acute adharma, He would come and set things right again.

So, is the Corona virus Lord Krishna? No, it is not like that. To begin with the virus does not have a life – it is in the form of an RNA. And it feeds off the host. Thus, killing the virus is not possible. Like you can’t kill the table, chair and all things lifeless. To kill the virus, the host has to be exterminated. Scary, huh? Yeap, it is.

So, thus I respect the virus for doing what governments across the globe could not, what all holy men could not – discipline the world and put people in their places – everyone, make everyone realise that human beings are nothing to begin with.  No one spared, not even Queen Elizabeth of England. Her Majesty, too, has to stay home in her palace.

Here are somethings that have surfaced with this Corona wave:

11.      The virus does not discriminate – it infects anyone, everyone. In the past people have developed arrogance because they were rich, they had wealth, they lived in cool climate countries – the list of arrogance in mankind does not end. Today, when we look at the list of those who have died, it is people from all walks of life, not just the poor, not just those with less wealth – the virus does not discriminate. CEOs, celebrities – it infects just about anyone. Those in cool climate countries are suffering more compared to those in hotter climate. And people in Gaza, which is in perpetual quarantine, fare far better than those in developed countries, because all their lives they were in quarantine!

22.      Man proposes, God disposes – yeah, my Muslim friends always quote this. How true! There was a wedding that is supposed to happen next week – alas, looks like it will not happen as scheduled and my advice to the bride – re-think whether marriage is what you are seeking. She is a teacher, well-educated with an MBA with a whole life before her and here she goes marrying someone even before achieving anything in life. Hey girl, God has given you another chance – He has given you more time to think, think and decide if that dude is worth marrying or whether marriage is worth it at all.

And there is the other person who had aspired to travel and start a new life in another land with her son, riding on the hard work of another, whom she despises. Irony – she despises the very women whose hard work she wants to live off – jeez!! I am not here to comment on whether she aspired right or wrong, but I am sure God is just and will make just decisions. How can anyone live off another’s hard work and life challenges thinking one is entitled to that? On what basis? Isn’t there any dharma to begin with? Well, the travel did not happen (again, thanks to Corona) and in all likelihood the life she aspires may never come from the land she so much wants to travel to. One has to earn what one is entitled to, sometimes despite hard work, even that eludes us. What more when one does not earn what one wants? Only God disposes – thank you Corona for reinforcing it!

33.     Corona opens eyes – Only when left in isolation, men (and women) start thinking and reflecting, on their lives, purposes and everything about themselves and those in their surroundings. For me, the presence of Power the Army Dog is a huge, huge relief and stress breaker. I start work very early, usually up by 7.30 a.m. when the guys in my home go to sleep. Yup, brothers of Van Helsing, play war games throughout the night and go to sleep at the wee hours in the morning. So that leaves me with a silent home and home office where I join virtual meetings, sometimes, which are cross geography in nature. I have almost 8 hours of silent solace which allows me to complete my work, play with Power when I get tired and of course, write my blog after such a long break. The isolation also allows me to think about what and who are important in my life and plan accordingly. In deciding the importance of people, it made me realise that some have to be dropped along the way. It also had made me realise how small the circle gets as we age. Right now, there are only four people (and a dog) who matter to me – a very good friend, a well-known doctor and well-wisher who has been in my life since 2007, my two daughters, the man who entered my life in 2019 and brought about lots of good changes plus of course, Power. See, how small the circle has become now? Thanks to Corona, I get to arrive at this decision sooner and perhaps, live accordingly. Everyone else do not matter, no one else does.

44.     Corona says that not all superheroes wear capes – Who are the people saving lives? The doctors and nurses in the front line – yeah, but there is another group that works very hard tirelessly – the sanitation workers, delivery people and those who ensure that the normalcy of life continues despite lock down. Yes, stuck at home we have all the comforts to begin with. In my case, nothing changed except the reduction of travel time – no longer need to get to an office but work certainly get done. But those who do physical work have to be present to perform their duties which means they are at risk of infection. But scores of them are delivering their duties, regardless. These are the unlikely heroes of unexpected times. For those who have looked down upon them, it is time you learn to respect everyone equally. One being better off today does not mean the situation will always be so. One day you may be worse off than the worse guy in your neighbourhood.

Today I watched a video of actress Katrina Kaif washing dishes in her home because her maid did not come by. Yo, babez, I wash dishes every day, it ain’t rocket science, only you did not know that dishes too need to be done, when you eat!

55.     Corona, the marriage/relationship counsellor – family members are thrown in together, forced to live with each other in limited space, 24X7. If your marriage/relationship has been tethering towards breakup, this close proximity can only mean one thing – either it improves or breaks completely. Marriage/relationship/living together is like daily test of faith. Pre Corona - partners could escape tense moments by going out, now no one can leave their homes. If your partner has annoying habits – live with it. If you think your partner sucks – stay on till lock down is over, you may get used to it. If you think your partner is perfect – wait a few more days, all the annoying habits will emerge. If you and your partner have been going towards break-up, trust me this lock down will deliver the final blow, whichever way, wherever you are.

66.      Corona, the Central Bank of the World – today, countries across the world are looking at saving their economies. Work has halted in certain sectors – airline industry, hospitality, tourism, e-hailing, to name a few. One way or another, the economy of the world will be impacted. Airlines are going bankrupt, some companies asked their employees to go on unpaid leave. I am affected too, as one of my girls work in the F&B sector. Restaurants are closed, she has no part-time income. I will have to chip in and thankfully my elder one promised to help me out. Earlier, there was only me in the house, now I have two gentlemen and a puppy added on, my expenses have increased. The men have been working and lots of work is pending completion, due to the lock down. So, in the mean time, every one of my dime needs to stretch, and stretch, it has to.

     However, thankfully, the Malaysian government announced two key things – i. contributors to Malaysian Employment Provident Fund can apply to withdraw RM500 per month till year end; ii. Loans like car loans and housing loans can be deferred for six months – need not pay. That means, people will have more money to spend once the lock down is over. That also means the money circulation in the economy can keep the economy moving. That also means that demand, especially for the basics will increase as soon as lock down is over – mainly demand for reasonably priced stuff available online. Economy will be transformed further. How we work, how we live, how we purchase, what we purchase – everything will change. And what after the moratorium period? Life will change even faster, way faster. Recession? I think not. We, as a world, will pull through just as we had in the past, only this time way wiser 😊

   

   Corona is a non-living virus. It has come to change the world and change it will. Mega changes are bound to happen after the peak of the pandemic. For me, Corona has provided me with a transformation – life, finances and future. While the others blame the pandemic, I say `Thank you, Corona, I LOVE YOU!’