Dawn of Optimism

The Pandemic has spread its jaws tight in the second wave in India – attacking not only the physical health of the citizens but also affecting the mental fitness. 

Everyone out has lost someone either in the family or locality – which has just aired the fire of negativity. Deep inside all of us are craving for thoughts of affirmations, for positivity, for an ounce of hope towards better tomorrow! I couldn’t be luckier in choosing “Viktor Frankl’s” Man’s search for meaning randomly to get this little bit of “hope”

The author being a Nazi Concentration camp survivor has beautifully explained the psychological state of humans in every phases of life – through the ups and downs. Jotting down a few of them which actually threw light on the optimistic sight in me. (Hope it serves you right)

• One instance which an author recalls in a talk where he was shown the pictures of prisoners laying like the haystacks in a room on their sick days – prisoners suffering from the typhus epidemic wearing old rags as clothes resting their wounds on torn shoes – some bleeding and others searching for piece of bread in their torn pockets – the person showing the pictures to the author tried having pity on the conditions in which they survived on which the author’s reaction was surprising when he said that these were the happiest times as we could rest, we could laze and not go out and work. So you see it is all about the perception – every thing can have two perspectives – you need to find the happier one, the positive one.

• Another instance where he focuses on how the prisoners though in misery still had the humanity to think for the other one in the group.

• Hope – was a huge thing that the prisoners of camp were motivated for survival of every day that passed. The times when they were taken from one camp to another rose their hopes to live a better life with lesser pain. The “hope” that one day they will be free helped them survive through the most brutal tortures. (every camp always had an option for prisoners to suicide by touching the electric wire but they still chose to live each day in dreams of freedom)

• This is an extract from the book “I would like to mention a few similar surprises on how much we could endure: we were unable to clean our teeth, and yet, in spite of that and a severe vitamin deficiency, we had healthier gums than ever before. We had to wear the same shirts for half a year, until they had lost all appearance of being shirts. For days we were unable to wash, even partially, because of frozen water-pipes, and yet the sores and abrasions on hands which were dirty from work in the soil did not suppurate (that is, unless there was frostbite). Or for instance, a light sleeper, who used to be disturbed by the slightest noise in the next room, now found himself lying pressed against a comrade who snored loudly a few inches from his ear and yet slept quite soundly through the noise”

All I wanna point out through this blog is – The pandemic has 100s of negative effects but then it is we who are gonna pull ourselves out from this negativity. We can and have to stand up for our families, our friends, our colleagues!! It is gonna be tough each day to stand the scenes of people struggling for oxygen, relatives queing up to bury their near ones but then let us stand tougher against all this. Material help is provided to the country from every corner of the globe, but mental support has to be given by us – you need not have huge bank balance, all you need is a positive mind. If you only can pull your close circle from sinking into dark thoughts – you have done your part of the job! In no time the chain of smiles and hopes for healthier tomorrow will spread. 

We are comparatively in a better situation then the people who have survived the world wars, the concentration camps, the Vietnam War and our very own Indian freedom struggle. Back then it was physical torture which is beyond our imagination. Today all we have to do is simple things – wear a mask, avoid gatherings, stay home. We have Netflix, we have thousands of books online which are unread, we have our families with us unlike the wars where families were parted and all what people had was closed gas chambers to threaten them with their death.

Spread the word – stay home, stay safe and stay positive! Very soon there will be a new dawn of health and happiness!

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Stay Active, Stay Focused!!

I was just lazing on the sofa waiting for mom to get me the evening coffee after cancelling the plan of me making coffee for everyone just because I had to get up and walk all the way through hall and pull things down to make coffee and get it for all. In short, I was lazily just turning myself in every way possible to fit in on the sofa with all soft toys. The steaming hot tea cup finally managed to blow off the chilled attitude of mine and I switched the TV to get some updates on the pandemic. And while random switching I came across this interesting news, rather a short snap story of couple in drought prone region of Maharashtra, this couple who may be stood in their early 40s, managed to dig a well 25 feet deep without any heavy machinery. They started from the day; the Prime Minister announced the nation to be locked down. And within less than a month they dug this well which now not only had enough water for this family but also enough water to feed their cattle and neighbours.

And I just got a “KICK”, like these people whom we so called refer as villagers or the less learned people have utilized their time much more effectively then we as civilized and extra learned people do. I just took a quick look back to what we do here in cities since the lock down was announced! And realized – the students who had their exams find reasons like the atmosphere is too negative and we cant focus on our studies, the newly qualified who are yet to find jobs have seen enough series on Netflix and Amazon, scrolling whatsapp, posting old pics on Instagram with captions like “Life before lockdown” and the way we have wasted our 20-25 days is just pathetic. Listening to the story of this couple I actually got charged like – Bro, if these people can make their way through difficulties we too can. Yes the lock down has affected us mentally but then we can be our own motivators rightly!!

Let us take charge of our own selves! Every effort in right direction is going to be a task towards betterment of the economy which will help our global family to get out of the crisis. Stay home and be creative. Every one surely will have something in addition. Stay focused Stay Home and Stay active.

Photo by Olenka Sergienko on Pexels.com

Can we be Indians first?!?

A strict disclaimer before you read this: I am not favoring Hinduism neither do I support Islam, I am not standing for Hindus neither am I with Muslims! I am an Indian and the pandemic has called for national unity and support!!

Independent India was free from chains of the Britishers but unfortunately, we got ourselves engulfed with a more severe form of slavery. When we were ruled by the English men, we were still one to fight against them under one single tag of “WE ARE INDIANS” We never fought for states or communities! India then was also a mixed culture of Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Jains and so many other castes and religions which we might even not know! The Indian heart then throbbed in a burkha as well as a gown, in a pagdi as well as saree! We were one and therefore the Britishers had to leave our country granting us freedom in 1947. The only thing they did before leaving was dividing people according to castes and religion! They always believed in divide and rule even when they ruled us and applied the same even when they left our country! The same Indian who once shed blood and sacrificed his family life for his Mother India are now fighting as Hindu and Muslims!

A salute to the Britishers who even after a more than 7 decades manage to keep differences in us! And we fool, fight like idiots! Don’t you stupid get this one bloody fact in mind that a handful of politicians who call themselves as representatives of people and other set of holy men who represent themselves as people of god are simply warming their hands on the riots and chaos caused by us within the country! The latest proof of how foolish we can be is the pandemic being named after a specific religion! What they did was wrong and rather I won’t like to comment on their acts be it the wrong behavior they did with the hospital staff in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh or be it the irrational thinking to abscond from the hospitals! The things which are wrong are WRONG and there cannot be any justification for the same. But can we stop denoting them as a person from specific caste and tribe and simply designate them as a patient behaving irrationally, can it be as simple as this man has committed a crime and not this Hindu or Muslim has committed a crime!

High time for INDIANS to grow up! The pandemic of Corona Virus is a global concern, it hasn’t seen any caste, community, race, color, status or power – we need to be there for our country men. Let us stand as an Indian first and then fight hard and after that if we still have the energy let us put it in saving humanity. Being religious is different and being a blind follower is different! Have we ever asked that who has constructed the roads we walk on – A Hindu or Muslim? Do we question the source of blood and other organ donations as to who is the done – A Hindu or a Muslim? Do we ask the food we eat, who had grown it – A Hindu or Muslim? We are all inter dependant on each other, if one falls the other to will have a set back! Today when the country is shut down each and every one of needs a mental support, we need each other to talk to, to share with, to speak to. Let us learn to be tolerant to each other’s sentiments. Mistakes happen – some being grave and some being naïve but then when we rectify the mistakes let us not be partial to our community. Crime is a crime – committed by a HINDU OR MUSLIM! There stands no justification for someone’s wrongful acts!

All I wanna convey is let us be humans first! The entire human race is suffering from the same pain, let us stand for our people! Be Indian!! Be a Human!!

Letter from Indian Doctor

Hello Friends,

Being into this noble profession from nearly 26 years I have seen many ups and downs, I have enjoyed many perks in this profession – like being pampered by my family patients like a family member, being a part of their every personal problem as well as social gatherings, being respected and honoured in many of the social drives and on the darker phase I have also seen attacks on hospitals and doctors, but then yesterday (22/03/2020 – Janta Curfew Day) what I saw was something like never before!

The way citizens of India responded to the activity of applauding for all the working people was “ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME” experience for all of us! We as General Practioners are a small part of this contribution of fighting against CORONA but then still all those patients in my contact list who has always been supportive had so much gratitude to express – making me feel lucky and all worth of burning the midnight oil for all of you, answering the late night calls and opening the doors at 2:00 am as well!

I had all flashbacks reading your whatsapps (and none of them were forwarded!!) – the way a few of you have grown up in front of me, from the first cries to the first walks – I witnessed it all like a family member, the way you came running with your child when he fell from the bicycle, the way I have counselled younger generation to work for betterment, the times you shared your success stories with me and also came to me on an unexpected failure, the way a couples shared the typical “He doesn’t help me with household chores and She doesn’t cook food like my mother did” fights and the list has no end!

All your messages along with the videos and images of you clapping, ringing bells captioned in a way which read like – “Sir we clapped for you”, Doctor we are thankful to have you as a family”, You have been a part of our family since I was born and still with us when my baby is born”.

Trust me it feels overwhelmed, it feels more motivated to work for all of you. There are times when we do feel down, we feel helpless seeing the number of deaths but then acts like these make us feel that we are dealing with a greater responsibility and YES! We have to do it! Corona has to go back – we all are one and we will fight it back!

An Appeal to all my doctor friends – its very natural to feel unsecured in your regular OPDs to take care from this disastrous virus as not all of us have the safety primary kits with those surgical gowns and huge masks (and the thought that we too have a family back waiting for us) – but then try through your small efforts to help all those who need us, the society has given us abundantly – it is our time to stand for our people. I wont say open up your small dispensaries (because on a genuine note, small clinics do not have those huge facilities and more importantly the patients walking in are random and we are unaware of the travel history and other facts) but then be available for your extended families on calls where you can atleast guide them through these bad times. People have panicked and we can show the right way through! Your small efforts will surely contribute towards nation building!

Lastly, I am always there for all those who have always made me feel home, who have given my degree and my learnings a true meaning, who have shared all their good and bad times with me! We are all one and we will pull each other from this phase too!!

I also salute to all those fighters fighting their way through this epidemic be it the 5% people working in government offices to handle the load of the entire state, the nurses and ward boys who have been constantly working with us, the media people, the drivers, the police and entire Government – specially for the quick actions taken by our CM Shri Uddhav Thackeray, Health Minister Shri Rajesh Tope and our beloved PM Shri Narendra Modi.

We are working – you stay at home!!

 

Lots of love and thankfulness to all of you!!

From a “Responsible citizen to Another Responsible Citizen!!”

Corona and Doctors!!!!

He was travelling back to India nearly after some 18 months! He was going to see his ailing mom, his darling wife and recently graduated sister after so many days, weeks and months. There on the airport waiting in the queue to get the primary check-up done which was mandatory for every international flight passenger due to recent epidemic outbreak of CORONA, he just happened to sneeze and not to his surprise this time his sneeze accompanied him with all eyes looking at him as if he was a culprit in the town, there was no bless-you after the sneeze anymore! People just shifted apart from him, his own family members who were waiting for him were not so eager anymore and insisted on to see the hospitals before. People had concerns of their kids, their families back at home, their future, their health and the list continue! No one wanted this man even in a meter’s radius!

The only person who came and touched was a simple masked doctor, well he too had a wife waiting at home for the night’s dinner, his children waiting to share the day’s stories with him, parents who looked up to him as their support to old age. He too was concerned about his health but still he stepped forward to take this man to a cabin where detailed checks were to be done!
Why this incidence!!??

We see fluent attacks on doctors happening all round the country, there are huge break outs done at their dispensaries or hospitals just because of a natural death of their closed one! Doctors are not GOD!! They are just a medium through which we have hopes to get cured well, through which we see a better and easy lifestyle, they do all they can to save a life but it isn’t magic – that a doctor touches a person and woohoo!! All is done right!!
They are humans, it is a fact that sometimes there are errors and, in their profession, a slightest error costs a life and so they are normally people who are much sincere and committed to their profession! All I want to convey to all of you reading this is – they too have a family back where they are needed, they have never backed out on their responsibility – be it midnights or be it wee-mornings! They have sacrificed their personal lives as well for the betterment of the society! So, as a human being let us be a little sensitive as well and thank them for all they have done and will be doing! Respect doctors – because if they fall short in committing their time and sincerity towards us, epidemics like Corona, Swine flu will be more of disasters for entire human race!!

Proud to be a daughter of two highly committed doctors and also associated with number of doctors directly or indirectly!! Thank you for all your efforts and honest advices which saved 100s of lives till now!!