Attitude of Gratitude, by Debolina Sen, Kolkata
Amy Hill
Born, raised, and currently living in Kolkata, West Bengal, Debolina is a journalist, dreamer, movie buff turned The Times of India film and web series reviewer, book and theater lover, music enthusiast, foodie, travel junkie, and cricket fan.
This unprecedented time called the COVID-19 pandemic had me totally zapped. Even when India went into the very first phase of lockdown (and therefore seriously acknowledged the threat) from March 22, 2020, I didn't quite understand what would ensue in the coming months.
My office asked me, along with a few other colleagues, to work from home a few days in advance of the quarantine. I was curious to know how it would pan out, since it was a first in a newsroom like ours. I was not remotely aware of what I would face from then on, in terms of changes in my way of life.
About a decade after my university days, I felt like I was adulting again! My work from home schedule is to date more choc-a-bloc than what it used to be before the pandemic. Add to it tons of extra household chores, grocery buying, the apprehension of delayed doctor appointments, and pending bank work, all because of the lockdown.
In all this life's humdrum, what actually struck a chord was turning my thoughts inward. Though it's usually impossible for me to stop my mind from ticking, I hardly had time to reminisce and reflect upon things. While I struggle to keep up with the new normal, my hands type furtively on the laptop, sometimes on the phone keypad. It is mostly work articles, sometimes enormous to-do lists, and a bit of writing for the love of it.
“What are you always scribbling? Isn't there other work to do?” my mother often asks with exasperation.
With no household help for months on end, balancing her time between the kitchen and other work at home took a toll on her health. And that is when I would be jolted back from my thoughts to the situation at hand.
There have been days when we– my parents and I– wondered how to put other medical emergencies on hold, during the pandemic and the lockdown. But turning on the TV, we see bigger problems and deeper suffering all around. So, what comes naturally to mind is gratitude for being able to wade through the toughest times, hoping to see better days ahead, and surviving the pandemic so far.
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(This story was prepared for an “Imagine Another World” online storytelling workshop held December 12, 2020.)
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