My new friends, affecting the planet!

Like any middle-class guy, I had grown up in an atmosphere of listening to family values,  their guidance, and had always enjoyed the freedom they had given me!

This freedom, was never asked for, and it never pushed me into things which other young boys had ‘asked’ for from their parents. So, as a result, I would try a glimpse of every bad habit, and on my own, I would realise that they were not worth it!

In the process, I would always figure out, that I have been super-lucky to have a set of parents, who had given me this un-asked freedom.

I was earning for some time in Mumbai, just the way my parents would have wanted me to. But things changed, when I stopped earning for some time. I thought that I should try something new and explore.

But I did not know, what exactly was this something new!

I thought of taking a break from the same daily life. I was bored of the daily routine of going to office.  So one fine day, I gave my resignation in the office. It was a new step in my life. My senior came to me and asked me why was I doing this. I had no answer. I just said that I need to figure out my life.

I thought he would get angry, but he looked at me and smiled. He wished me all the best and accepted the resignation. In fact, I was pretty surprised too, when I got my next month’s salary.

 I  went back to my hometown and told my parents that I needed a break. I was expecting some anger from them! My father wanted to ask me my plan, but my mother came to me and said, “Rest well, for some time!”

It is during this time, that the country imposed the longest running lockdown ever!

Covid-19 had hit the nation.

I started spending the day at home, having my mother’s home cooked-food. I loved the food. As I was home, I did try my had at making some breakfast. This was new too, as I had always loved my food, but my parents had also started loving food cooked by me!

But the best was the introduction, done by my mother to water her kitchen garden every morning. From some item in the balcony, the PLANTS became my friends. I call them friends, because I developed this lovely bond with them I connected with life.

And I realized that Covid might be a reason, of all the ill-effects of man’s behavior with nature.

We always believe that we should do this and that and save nature. But we really need to understand this point, that man is no one to save nature. When we plant a tree, we saving no one else, but ourselves.

Like a middle class guy, I realized that I need to write my ideas.

It is this birth of ideas, which pushed me back into the areas of writing short films and plays. I just realized that my break actually helped me.

I thank Corona for pushing me into this thought process. I am sure this is just the beginning.