Freedom Day 12

Dear Diary,

This is the twelfth day of the countrywide lockdown. So you may be wondering why the title of today's story reads as, '"Freedom Day 12"? Well, human beings are forced to be inside their houses for the time being, but the mind is still free to go anywhere, be it our past, present or future. The triumph of the human spirit can't be held to ransom by a miniscule virus. At present, we are free to follow our mind's pursuits, be it any hobby, doing meditation, yoga or just being with our near and dear ones.

If we don't mind the daily feed of distressing news from all over the world, everything seems to be just fine. The air is crystal clear, rivers are flowing carrying sparkling waters, our coastlines are again brimming with whales, dolphins, turtles; birds have come nearer to our buildings on the trees in concrete jungles and are singing melodiously from dawn to dusk. Deer, peacocks and other animals of the wild are wandering the erstwhile human habitations, looking curiously at finding that what has happened to all the hullabaloo earlier caused by the mad rush of human activities. There is no hurry to get up in the morning to go to office. We can be at leisure and be at peace with ourselves and with the nature for the time being.

Today at 9 pm, at the call of our primer minister, entire country switched off the lights of their houses for nine minutes and burnt earthen lamps or just flashed mobile torches to show solidarity with the fellow countrymen in their fight against the pandemic. This was also an opportunity for taking our mind away from the outer distractions and focussing on our inner light. We may be constrained from moving out of house, but we can utilise the time to go on a wonderful journey on the never before the tried inner path. As someone rightly said, "If you can't go outside, go inside."

God is our saviour!