2020

    It was a hot yet a peaceful Sunday morning. Adding to the enjoyment was that the whole of India was under lock down so there was a sigh of relief in everyone for need not to go to work, education sector the next day. 

     As already 2 weeks of lock down passed, extra energized people as you know Indians are, who could not stay home for so long dared to go out ,did stunts, cheated those cops who are out in the sun, when we are in the house, and of their misfortune also got punished with healthy tasks but which made kids laugh at them. 

    " But we're not that kinda people, who could not control ourselves from going out. We could call ourselves as a true Indian", I thought. . . . . My mind voice interrupted,'stupid, don't act as if you are a soldier, you are just staying in which doesn't cause you a single drop of sweat or blood'. I thought, my inner-me too was a bit sarcastic like me. 

     It was noon then, the whole house was baked up with fragrance of my mom's hand's magic. But poor she, I could see my mom maximum only in the kitchen during the quarantine. But like always, she was up with her signature smile, no. . which belongs to every mother. We finished our meals and was time for a nap. I think my tummy was glad that she's too growing up but poor me, whenever i see it, i motivate myself to workout the next day, but the thought vanishes in the air the very next second. What could i do with that! 

     My whole schedule was changed during quarantine from brushing to sleeping. 

     It was cloudy in the evening when i woke up. As per the quarantine schedule we went to terrace. And I was up with my English book. We students were locked with online classes. In the terrace I could see each and every family in their respective houses. Neighbours were connecting their love and joy by flying kites. But it felt usual for us as this is what is happening for the past 2 weeks. 

      I comforted myself in the corner of the terrace to concentrate on what I'm gonna read. I thought of finishing lessons as much as i can so that it wouldn't be too tough when the school reopens. The first lesson was"the fun they had".

     . . . "It was 2050. We had no books. We study online where a robot is a teacher and we learn with e-books in computer",as I read. .

    ' Oh,what! It matches the current scenario. We also study through online,submit assignments online, may be this is the starting of next generation. . Who knows! What if we forget books by 2050"! I thought to myself. 

     I ran to my mom, to tell this story. As I only completed the half of the story, I don't know how it started, but my mother was starting to tell me about her childhood. Only mothers has that super power of switching topics, no, I think all the women do have. 

     While I was conversing with my inner-me, by then she almost finished 15% of her story! I began to listen from. . . 

     ". . . girls were restricted to ride cycles those days, but we need wood for cooking as we produce flame by burning wood. So we are supposed to collect wood and sticks. I would go for collecting wood in cycle. Those days I would ride bicycle in a speed that no motor bike could match. But there are also those days when I've got beatings from my brother and father for riding cycle in a speed like. . . . a boy does (my neighbours would say so. . )

     We would walk miles to and fro just for learning. You guys bunk classes though we've arranged vehicles for you".

     'These mothers won't leave a single chance when it comes to scolding their children', I laughed inside. 

     "Also we don't have lights those days, we only learned in chimney lamps. And when it becomes evening, now a days house wives run into the house to watch TV serials. But unlike them our mothers would run upstairs to have conversation with neighbours. Not only that, what do you think we do when we get bored? We don't swim in mobile video games we used to play in ground and also sometime in roads. One century won't be enough to play those games. We do fly kites which we don't buy but do with our own hands. That satisfaction could never match the satisfaction even if we have million dollars. 

     We do also watch TV but they were telecasting good historical series like Mahabharata and Ramayana. Kids of those days didn't have different cartoon channels but superhero of kids was shakthiman. And the food, we don't walk to hotel and restaurants often. Instead our mothers would cook different and delicious dishes with their own hands. The taste and aroma of the food they make can never match any one of the five star hotels. 

     We won't be allowed inside the house without washing hands and legs. May be not in our days but I've heard that long ago they would speak only by covering their mouth with their hands. When we insist you to do so you won't mind us also.

     Those were golden times. If you take a closer look you could see that the old generation is coming back again".

     She walked down casually. 

     But I sat there for 5 more minutes, wondering, "she is right. The same thing is happening now. They are requesting everyone to wash hands and cover the mouth while talking. We are getting bored of TV and mobile phones and playing old games. We forgot hotel and restaurants. We could cook variety of dishes just with our hands in our house. But also we have classes online. This is awkward! "

     . . . May be this 2020 is a mix of 90's and 2k generation. This year could have swallowed many people's life but is showing the whole world, how the humans should be. May be this is the mother earth's desire. And all these unlucky things are what we humans deserve. The mother earth is getting back to her original form and her biggest wound-the hole in the ozone layer too disappeared.  

     How this big disaster taught us all lesson may be a little cruel but she's made us all live our life.