It is a gloomy, rain-drenched evening. Cooped indoors the kids and I try
to find ways to keep ourselves occupied. “Mamma, do you want to play a new
game?” quips my little daughter. Before I can reply she jumps up on her feet! Stretching her arms out she instructs me and her brother to follow suit. We do so.
Clapping her hands and alternatingly touching our outstretched palms she begins
to sing-
“Who took the cookie from the cookie jar?”
With a delighted shriek, I chip in “NO.1 TOOK THE COOKIE FROM THE COOKIE
JAR!”
They look astonished as I keep on singing and we have a hearty time
clapping hands and playing my favorite childhood game.
A thought creeps into my mind and I shout “who taught you this game? Who
were you playing with? Did all those girls wash their hands before they played
the game?” The poor kids look bewildered. “Is mom having mood swings?” they
wonder as they exchange queer looks. I’m not going berserk. It’s the
coronavirus scare that persists. The best game ever now seems dangerous.
It is a close contact game that doesn’t follow the norms of social distancing!
Imagine that!
We are limping back to normalcy with the pandemic threat persisting.
Masks, sanitizers, and frequent hand washing has become imbibed into our daily
routine. Schools have reopened and the kids are back to school!! Yippee! I’m
like all my fellow moms- ecstatic!! We neatly make our children
wear their masks, label the extra mask, and put it into their bag. Each is
doing her part perfectly- desperate that the child should reach school safely
and be away! For a couple of hours at least!!!
So also, our social lives are getting back to normal. The gleam and
excitement in our eyes are unbelievable as we greet friends and family. We hug
tightly as we meet people in person after years… literally speaking. There’s so
much to catch up on, so much to share, and more to recall. I had never imagined
that I’d see tears streaming down the eyes of friends who used to be
inseparable. The pandemic forced them apart and their reunion is worth a watch. Delighted grandparents need to reconnect with their grandkids who’ve suddenly Grown
Up within these years.
Despite COVID19, the world moved on. We worked from home, attended
online school and tutorials. Virtual seminars, Zoom Kitty Parties, Online
Satsangs, and Funeral Prayer Meets became the norm. Young and old…. Everyone
was connected. Yet, a strange void lingered. The twinkle in the eye tells you that my smile is genuine. The warmth of the handshake reveals the intent. Without the contact and proximity, it was tough to judge character.
The OTT platform brought entertainment at our fingertips and no one
complained. However, as we return to multiplex cinemas we realize that this is
where the magic of the movies lives. Passing the popcorn carton we look at each
other. Yes, we’ve missed this!
Our future is bright. We know we have the technology to overcome any
challenge that might befall. Artificial Intelligence, Robots, Space Tourism,
and Flying Cars. All that was once Science Fiction is now a reality. The
generations will flourish, virus and all. The one thing that we need most of
all without which it all seems worthless- Is the very basic -The
Human Touch.
