The gloomy times are peeping back from the windows, bringing the chill of uncertainty. This after a few months of respite where we thought the pandemic was on the verge of diminishing into oblivion. That, however, was far from the truth. It came back stronger and mutated to strike again. I will not talk about the uncertainty of the situation. What I am trying to focus on are the lessons from the pandemic. I am listing some of my personal lessons. Do share your views or add your own to the list.

Develop Attitude of Gratitude

Most of the time, we take our lives for granted. We assume that we have unlimited time on this planet. This thought makes us procrastinate and lose valuable time in unproductive tasks. When faced with such kind of uncertainty in the environment, we live each day in gratitude for being safe. We also look at others with more empathy than usual. Just as the tide brings the most invaluable pearls to the shore, adversity sometimes brings out the best in us.

Recognize your Inner Strength

We are content with situations in our lives. We also depend on others for support and guidance. This is completely natural. However, with passing time, we become complacent and trapped in our comfort zone. Unprecedented times re-introduce us to our own capabilities and strengths. We realize we are much more capable than we think we are. We rediscover certain traits that are hidden within us. Challenging times force us to sift through our inner core, and, in the process, discover hidden gems.

Re-look at Simplicity of Life

Life is simple. We complicate it by looking at things from a perspective that might be skewed. For example, judging the helpers that make our lives simpler by offering their services. We hardly recognize the time they help us spare for pursuing our dreams and goals. When managing things on our own, we simplify life for our own convenience. For example, we realize it hardly takes half an hour to bring a healthy yet nutritious meal to the table.

Spend Quality time as Family

Man is a social animal. But overuse of technology has made us unsocial. It’s not uncommon to see three people of a family sitting in a car going out to enjoy. All the three of them are in the virtual world of their mobiles and tablets. I too am guilty of being one of those. When surrounded by news of disease and death, we tend to find solace in spending quality time with our families. It brings home the point that no figure of virtual friends and followers can feel what your family feels for you.

I completely agree that time is uncertain. However, your strength lies in trying to find the ray of hope in the darkest of times and steer your ship in a different direction for the time being. You never know when you discover unexpected treasures. Stay blessed. Stay safe.