I guess a global shutdown was what needed to happen to shake me out of my (longggg) reverie. Life has been monotonous, procedural and ongoing; exciting, adventurous and scintillating nonetheless... basically welcome to adult life. Planning has become a mainstay of my daily schedule - academic, clinical and trip planning. Responsibility and accountability have become larger goals than thrills and fun alone.
So, this year also started in the same booming note as I came back refreshed from another soul searching ride and ready to achieve my set goals for the year ahead. We all read a small side note in some corner of the newspaper about some infection going viral in some unheard of (not even heard in culinary terms) province in mainland China. The news did trigger memories of some 12-14 perio PGs across the years watching a movie named Contagion in theatres and laughing it off as a movie script.
I had made my academic plans - teach better, set a better example, more research orientation; clinical goals - sophistication, consistency, learning and development for sustenance; travel plans - trip in April, another trip meticulously planned in October maybe and year end hopes.
The infection slowly got more coverage and more countries were named..it's not like am headed east or west anytime soon anyway so on so let's just carry on with my work and plans. Basical surgical supplies prices shot up - I have adequate stock anyway.
But then the lockdown came. The first trip was nearing cancellation..I was joking about how we can make it all up in October anyway. Bliss and lack of routine now - thanks to lockdown. No college, no consultations and no clinic. Triple strike. Some well deserved R & R. No traffic on the roads while I go to clinic as and when I need and like to. Everything so quiet and peaceful. My city never looked more beautiful.
And now it's day 47. Or 48. Or whatever. It's still peaceful but there is some fraying at the edges. The second trip also looks cancelled. (The hopeful me says postponed to next year) Watching the news and it's mostly reeking of negativity. The death of a doctor and the public's reaction - so demeaning to humanity and an everlasting blot in the memory of Madras.
Drove down to college today and there was crazy traffic...the stench of panic rent the air for miles. The police desperate to stay human and dealing with the maddening crowds ever so patiently. Today I felt a foreboding sense of hopelessness and apathy towards humanity. It was so unsettling that it made me wonder - a nano sized particle bringing about a mountain of change among us.
Humans were, are and will always be parasites on this ever giving land but very rarely have I seen this civil unrest and behavioral uncertainty. The corona sitting on our heads and making us haughty has been knocked down ever so casually by this novel corona.
Since lockdown it seems like nothing has changed since there has been a complete seizure of activity and everyone is inside..but everything has changed. Our basic approach to our fellow human has been destabilized. The mental effect of corona will have far reaching (maybe even permanent and scarring) potentialities than the physical symptoms.
It gives me this dreaded thought that the worst is yet to come.
But as always we will bear it to the best of our abilities; evolve, adapt and adjust to the changes as and when they come.
I choose to see the rainbow at the end of the ever expanding tunnel.
And to top it all off...I have immense faith in my city, it's uncanny ability to accommodate conservative to quirky all under the same roof and on the same page. So am hoping and praying that some positivity will rub on to all of us too from Madras.
Will leave you all with a song from a recent movie..the movie by itself was very refreshing but this song is a testament on its own. Some positivity to sustain.
https://youtu.be/6YFdfriCIPI
So, this year also started in the same booming note as I came back refreshed from another soul searching ride and ready to achieve my set goals for the year ahead. We all read a small side note in some corner of the newspaper about some infection going viral in some unheard of (not even heard in culinary terms) province in mainland China. The news did trigger memories of some 12-14 perio PGs across the years watching a movie named Contagion in theatres and laughing it off as a movie script.
I had made my academic plans - teach better, set a better example, more research orientation; clinical goals - sophistication, consistency, learning and development for sustenance; travel plans - trip in April, another trip meticulously planned in October maybe and year end hopes.
The infection slowly got more coverage and more countries were named..it's not like am headed east or west anytime soon anyway so on so let's just carry on with my work and plans. Basical surgical supplies prices shot up - I have adequate stock anyway.
But then the lockdown came. The first trip was nearing cancellation..I was joking about how we can make it all up in October anyway. Bliss and lack of routine now - thanks to lockdown. No college, no consultations and no clinic. Triple strike. Some well deserved R & R. No traffic on the roads while I go to clinic as and when I need and like to. Everything so quiet and peaceful. My city never looked more beautiful.
And now it's day 47. Or 48. Or whatever. It's still peaceful but there is some fraying at the edges. The second trip also looks cancelled. (The hopeful me says postponed to next year) Watching the news and it's mostly reeking of negativity. The death of a doctor and the public's reaction - so demeaning to humanity and an everlasting blot in the memory of Madras.
Drove down to college today and there was crazy traffic...the stench of panic rent the air for miles. The police desperate to stay human and dealing with the maddening crowds ever so patiently. Today I felt a foreboding sense of hopelessness and apathy towards humanity. It was so unsettling that it made me wonder - a nano sized particle bringing about a mountain of change among us.
Humans were, are and will always be parasites on this ever giving land but very rarely have I seen this civil unrest and behavioral uncertainty. The corona sitting on our heads and making us haughty has been knocked down ever so casually by this novel corona.
Since lockdown it seems like nothing has changed since there has been a complete seizure of activity and everyone is inside..but everything has changed. Our basic approach to our fellow human has been destabilized. The mental effect of corona will have far reaching (maybe even permanent and scarring) potentialities than the physical symptoms.
It gives me this dreaded thought that the worst is yet to come.
But as always we will bear it to the best of our abilities; evolve, adapt and adjust to the changes as and when they come.
I choose to see the rainbow at the end of the ever expanding tunnel.
And to top it all off...I have immense faith in my city, it's uncanny ability to accommodate conservative to quirky all under the same roof and on the same page. So am hoping and praying that some positivity will rub on to all of us too from Madras.
Will leave you all with a song from a recent movie..the movie by itself was very refreshing but this song is a testament on its own. Some positivity to sustain.
https://youtu.be/6YFdfriCIPI
