City Series – Khyati Sharma in Sydney, We the Isolationists (174th Corona Diary)
Our corona diary.
[Text and photo by Khyati Sharma]
I close my eyes in self-isolation from corona… and I see my whole family clung together in Delhi, while I am here sulking in Sydney because I miss being with them. I used to live in a joint family and before this corona outbreak, I could hardly see all the members stay put together unless there was any festival. My own brother was never at home owing to his irrational work hours. I now picture him drowning in laptop, alongside Mumma who’s constantly trying to feed him with homemade delicacies. My cousins screaming for pepsi, parents sipping chai over daily discussion on the Modi government. Overjoyed dog who gets to be with his favourite humans 24×7.
This lockdown is proving to be a blessing in disguise. In Arundhati Roy’s words: “It is a time when the unthinkable became the thinkable and the impossible really happened.” You get to sit and pause your life in unison with people who matter the most to you. So why whine when you can still shine?
“We the Isolationists” series urges folks from any part of the world to share a brief diary starting with “I close my eyes in my self-isolation from Corona… and I see…” Not more than 100 words. With a horizontal-sized selfie, along with your city name… please mail to me at mayankaustensoofi@gmail.com.
Beautifully expressed! The agony of being alone in another continent. These isolation days are a pause button to stop us from the maddening race of day to day life … to sit back and introspect. We have realised – not much is needed to stay alive , it is possible to work sitting at home too, doing the household chores together can be fun …the list can be endless. As they say there is a brighter side to everything.. this pandemic is showing us how to be better humans. Hope the realisation stays . Stay safe , stay healthy.