The pandemic has significantly changed the world we live in and its effects are everywhere. Face masks, for example, have now become an essential item that we automatically check for prior to leaving home, just like we would check for keys, wallets or mobiles. We have learnt new ways of meeting and greeting, new ways of communicating and this learning curve has been rather steep.
Mother & Daughter: So Near Yet So Far
Various terminologies have now become permanent members of our daily vocabulary, “Social Distance”, being a notable one. Across the globe we have resorted to social distancing in various degrees. Sometimes this is to conform to national or local regulations and sometimes it is to safeguard our near and dear ones. COVID has produced an atmosphere of apprehension which is as worrying as the disease itself. By being socially distanced from one another, it is true that we have re-defined our personal space, but often we have found ourselves a bit too far from each other. A quick visit to a friend or family or a neighbour has now become a “task” that we carefully consider before embarking on it. Spontaneity is slowly taking a back seat as a result which might have serious consequences. When it comes to interacting with one another, I believe, the different facets of our minds including love, care and sense of responsibilities have all merged into a single complex emotion. I suspect that when the time is right to embrace our near and dear ones, a sense of apprehension might still appear at the back of our minds - “Is it going to be safe…?” Or…Would our humanity push away the obstacles of social distancing from our minds? Well, only time will tell..