Simple pleasures of life!

The lock down has bought some silent solace to the otherwise streaming streets. There is a slow unhurried pace of life. We are all spending more time indoors. As a result, the outdoors are healing.

And we are becoming resilient. Just like the way our wildlife is. I have always wondered at the remarkable grit, courage and determination shown by birds around us. The pigeons and crows show astonishing chutzpah. They eat grains on a busy moving street, unperturbed by any activity and fly away just in nick of time. They gain easy access to open verandahs and are amazingly at ease with human habitation.

I feel bad to see crow crane their necks around city dumpsters. I feel sorry to see dwindling natural spaces in bigger cities and towns. As mankind expands and encroaches the precious land for his home, the home of other species are destroyed and depleted exponentially. Our demands and desires increase, neglecting even their basic survival needs. But they continue to gaze at us with stillness in their eyes. Their raw courage gives me hope. It leads me to believe that we can exist together harmoniously, if we take our responsibility seriously.

Corona, cyclones and numerous other calamities have shown us our place, time and again. We must learn our lessons quick. We are not the rulers of this earth, only her meek subjects and we better abide by her rules before it is too late. The lockdown has given us the time to do the much needed introspection, before all is lost.

I was witness to another resolute spirit shown by a common mynah just outside my bedroom window. During a new window AC installation, there happened to be just a tiny little space between the window and the roof over the top, on the outside, hardly a feet or so. This determined mynah took 2-3 days to built her nest. I tried shooing her away, but she did not give up. I kept wondering why she would give up the abundance of trees around, and pick this tiny little corner. But now it makes perfect sense. As a mother, she is doing all to protect her children. This corner is relatively safe from other predators and also provides steady protection from rain. Now, I am happy she chose this space. And I am gratefully enthralled by her sweet melodius chirps all day.

Being locked in, has made me cherish the magic of nature around me. The exuberant gulmohars or the flame of the forests, light up my day and add abundant cheer. The roads carpeted with crushed red flowers, uplift my spirits! And the white champa flowers of Plumeria tree just outside my balcony bestow me with pure peace and tranquility, every time I gaze upon them.

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I share an old bond with trees 🌳. In all the houses and cities I have lived, I look for a green gentle giant to guide me. It becomes a patient listener to my silent stories. Be it a mango tree in the backyard some place or a neem tree visible from the small living room balcony. All my homes become more liveable and lively thanks to my giant green friends and their benevolent presence. But only, in this restraining period of lockdown have I truly valued their magical presence. The leaves, the butterflies, the bees and birds are each a beauty to behold!

Also, the magic of moments is marvelous. If we can forget their incomplete homeworks and just enjoy the innocent mischief without any worries, then children are delightful. Time flies and the growing up years and these troubles will soon be over. I believe, these moments cannot be created or captured, but can only be cherished. We can all sleep in extra, cuddle some more and just lazy around the house!

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The usual rigorous daily routine that had been unsettled by the pandemic has now become a little settling. The children have somewhat eased into the process of e- learning. More than us, they have built more patience and mastered the art to sit in front of a tiny screen for an hour or two daily for their dose of classes.

I was never a very social person so it is a relief that pressures of social gathering/ party are non existential now. Also the official zoom and Google meet meetings appear a cakewalk with an option to turn off the audio/ video and daydream endlessly.

I cannot deny that I do not miss the old normal. The soft fragrance of bakery, the delectable aroma of coffee houses and delicious pizza toppings with dropping cheese have all become a thing of past. Cooking paltry meals together is more fun! ( and work afterwards too!)

I do miss the barbecue, I miss the outdoors, miss the schools and miss the thrill of travels, tales and exotic food. But I compensate that somehow by reading more, doing more physical activity, trying my hand at culinary skills and cuddling my loved ones more.

How are you all coping with the lockdown? What are your simple pleasures of life? Do tell.