While many of us – human beings – who had an unusually busy lifestyle enjoyed the initial bit of it because all essentials were made available and it seemed just normal. The pandemic hit hard on folks like daily wagers, contractors, and contractual workforce across verticals and industries. But as and when the lockdown started getting prolonged from Phase 1 of 21 days to Phase 2 of 19 days (and Phase3 of 14 Days) with no signs of being lifted yet – the entire situation started to seem grim.

We could see and feel humans to be stressed, depressed and a kind of anxiety that engulfed all of us while being at home – for time which seems to be forever now. We saw many people (our friends, family and our heartthrob celebs) uploading pictures of them sweeping their house, baking some cake, making some gourmet food but eventually even that started to fade.

Because at the end of the day we are animals and the toughest is to kill our basic animal instinct. We are not brain wired to be seated indoors for long. We love going outside to hunt for our jobs, professions, mates, friends, drinks, friendships and passion. That is who we are. And when you are unable to do so and caged in the four walls of your house, something starts disturbing you inside.

But if there is someone who is having a ball all this time is – Nature!

The pollution level has been decreasing across all the major global cities of the world (including India as well) From decreasing air pollution to water and noise pollution, the earth is better off with humans being caged inside their homes. Looks like nature’s got a breather too.

Across India, there have been many mountain ranges or peaks which people started spotting with decreased micron and suspended particles in the air (from their cities). Many folks in the cities also saw and observed blue clear skies which otherwise would be hazy views. Scientists could finally hear earth’s tectonic movements – with better precision and accuracy – which otherwise were shrouded in the noise created by human activities et.al.

As observed, the rivers, lakes and oceans started getting clearer too with less or no human activity and absolutely zero level of industrial waste being dumped into the water resources. Ganga is cleaner. Yamuna is without froth. All these sights would not have been possible in the lifetime and we would not have been able to see the magical beauty of our earth and its natural resources had there been no lockdown, the blessing in disguise.

The dolphins were spotted in Arabian sea near Mumbai which nobody even knew that they existed in those areas. The Olive Riley turtles turned out at Odisha coast in lakhs for nesting owing to zero human activity there. Similarly in another incidence large leatherback sea turtles were spotted at the beaches of Thailand. It is pure magic to spot species of animals that we thought were either endangered or no more. Stags and deers were spotted on the roads, elephants were seen in herds walking on the roads cutting through the jungle and the cities. Snow leopards were spotted in Nainital. And the list goes on and on.

It is an indication that earth has its own way of protecting what it has created and nurtured for millions and billion years. It is also a reflection of the motherly nature of our earth – that it cannot be partial to the rest of its kids just because the humans are “supposedly” smarter kids in the lot. After all, a mother is the least biased towards its kids. It is also all encompassing like Maa Durga and ward off all the devils to claim what truly belongs to her.

So while making us quarantine – it showed us what else nature beholds within. And maybe what we are seeing as the glint in the grim situation is actually Mother Nature sending us distress signals.

Maybe it is her way of telling us that:

“YOU – Humans – are not the only creatures on this earth, there are many more species and creatures that reside in my garb and I need to take care of all of them equally. I gave you enough and took care of you without any questions asked. But I also owe my responsibility and love towards my other beings.

By showing you clearer and cleaner air, skies and water – I am showing you the real me. By showing you glimpses of species and animals that you thought were extinct, I am letting you peekaboo into what wonderful creatures lie protected in my arms. And these creatures know how to live in harmony with each other and the rest of the ecosystem. Better than you do. It is time you learn the same as well.

Eliminate the unessential from your lives. Use all of it – air, food, water and other natural resources – judicially. Don’t confuse your wants with needs rather try to minimise them. Consume what is BASIC, and truly so and not what you think is basic in your head. Take care of your surroundings, fellow beings, animals and creatures – nature (me) – like you take care of your prized possessions.

It is time you rethink your lifestyle and what got you here. It is time you contemplate, if you continue with your “usual lifestyle”, where are you going from here. Because surely, you missed the Heaven that was here on this earth. And there is no heaven after that. So, for once PAUSE, RE-THINK and RE-CALIBRATE your actions and lifestyle before it is too late and before I pour down upon you the havoc you have dreaded the most. EXTINCTION. Extinction of YOU.”

We didn’t see COVID-19 coming but in reaction to that if we do not make some necessary amends to our lifestyle, we surely know what we are upto!

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Nothing because you didn’t buy a new car, you didn’t start living in a new house. You didn’t plan for a new trip or your next vacation. You didn’t earn as you expected. You didn’t do something to “waow” yourself. And may be that is why you and I do not think it as important to be thankful for anything.

Strangely enough, we are so used to this idea of “newness”, “doing something fancy”, “owning something fancy and unique” – something which is not ordinary. Unknowingly we want our lives and our possessions to be unique from others. That satiates us. That makes us feel happy. Yet that doesn’t make us feel thankful. After all Thankful to whom? We do believe that all our accomplishments, achievements are our own and we owe 100% credit to ourselves rather than anyone else.

So, in this busy lives of ours – a life which is quite much about consuming as much as we can from food to drinks to clothes and you name a thing; we forget being thankful.

The very fact you are breathing, you get up every next morning; the sun didn’t forget to rise and the air promised oxygen – doesn’t move us. We take them for guaranteed. Our parents being there for us; our families being there to share our joys and sorrows; having our friends with who we create so many memories – they don’t move us either. We take them as well forever. However, as a matter of fact they are not. They too are our joys – ours for limited period of time.

The very fact that we exist and exist healthy is sufficient enough for us to be thankful enough but we are not. This lack of being thankful makes us devoid of compassion, humility. And it leads to a point where we are full of ourselves. Not with bad intention though but lack of mindfulness leads us to pay no heed to any person, place or situation around us that actually got us here where we are today.

The world is a beautiful place to be in. From the books we read to the stories that leave an imprint forever. The movies we watch and leave us nostalgic. The food we eat and keeps us healthy. The air we breathe that keeps us alive. Nothing beats the pleasure of listening to the trees flurry their leaves, the sun and the moon playing hide and seek, birds chirping outside the house. The sight of a river gushing by, and the mountains that standby. And us living a life between those 24hours every day till we are alive. Nothing is permanent and forever.

So yes, let’s pause for a while, take a minute or so every day – close our eyes and be thankful for all what we have. Let us be thankful to what all troubles we are thrown into and all that gives us happiness. All that keeps us going and all that keeps us afloat. That’s the best way we can feel absolutely happy for so many (yet unaccounted for) possessions we already have. And the art of being thankful lies in the fact of valuing all what you have got and not counting on what you couldn’t have.

Thank you for reading this. And if you feel thankful today, share this with your friends and family as well. A simple word of Thanks goes a long way into making this world a beautiful place. 

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