Half-Year ended 30th June, 2020!

Half Year?  Two-quarters? 6 months? Whatever you call or howsoever you say, we are already in mid-2020 and that is enough to please us. 2020 so far has been one of the challenging years we all ever had. So far it has been a roller-coaster ride. Till first three months business was as usual, life was normal and for the remaining three months business was itself struggling to survive and so was life.

Now, everything is upside down. Free movement at your own will, little things like sipping tea at your favourite tea-stall, standing on your favourite bridge, experiencing happenings in your city, meeting up your family, friends etc. etc. All these have now become things of past. Everything has changed; nothing is as it was before. Thanks to the pandemic and what not!

30.06.2020 i.e. today, gave an opportunity to reflect back on how 2020 as a year had been so far to me. So I decided to take a stock of things at the back drop of this pandemic and half year ended on 30^th June, 2020.

I realised, though pandemic hit hard to all still I guess I was relatively better placed. I did not have to struggle for satisfying my basic needs and I am really grateful for that. Financially too, I had enough to cover all my monthly expenses and save a bit. Honestly, struggle was real at mental and emotional front. To keep going was a challenge. (Still struggling badly on this front. Sometimes all you need is just you. Anyway...never mind!)

First part of 2020 i.e. till March 2020 everything was normal. In fact everything was going great. I had returned from Yatra. I wrote some articles. Conducted sessions in a Secondary School on Anti-addiction and Sexuality Education and got amazing reviews from my students. I was happy studying psychology. I attended my sister’s fashion exhibition. I had discussions at length with my friends on so many things. I miss those days.

Second half, March end onwards, it was all about pandemic, lockdown, home quarantine, curfew, sealed areas, movement restrictions, cleanliness, hygiene, sanitation and what not. This period was full of uncertainty, fear and scepticism. Life has never been so unpredictable. I had to put off so many things. “Survival” was only aim. I guess I did survive (physically at least).

I did many things at many levels that I never imagined I’ll ever do. I applied and got my Certificate of Practice. One should have something at hand at professional level that can come handy to make livings. I tried and learnt many dishes and delicacies, my rotis are near-circular now – this is definitely going to help me get my side business. I learned gardening. I also did fund-raising for NGO. To my surprise, many responded to my appeal. That was something beyond my expectations. Am happy I could do my bit.

That’s how 2020 has been so far - topsy-turvy, unexpected, unpredictable, slow, fast, nasty, peaceful and weird, all at once. Seems I have lived a lot. I honestly, don’t know what I should be expecting from second half of 2020. Whatever I have lived so far though not great, has been good enough, I’ll say, to take stock. I am clueless what’s in store in coming times. Nevertheless, I’ll take single clue from time and that is to keep going and keep flowing irrespective of happenings around!