Has Corona Virus brought out the best out of us?- Nanni Singh
January 2020 seems like eons ago when the first buzz started about the Corona virus. It started its penetration into different states, regions, territories. Impacting all, irrespective of caste, creed or religion. We never took it seriously, continued with our lives, our work, events, our hecticness. Never had that extra moment to think about anything else or anyone else, that, maybe, needed our attention. Time moved on, cases kept going up globally and slowly, in relation, India’s numbers started going up. This is when it hit home, quite literally, that this was more than what we thought it was. This WAS serious.
Over-night - work stopped, lockdown happened, offices shutdown, no weddings, no celebrations, no events.
We were ready for this-NO!!
A situation of this global impact had never happened ever before in our lifetimes. A lot of instant changes, modifications, adjustments had to be made. Our lifestyles made a dramatic shift. Home became the pivot of all action. Work, human relations, family and business dealings for survival became all important.
Did the VIRUS change us all??
It did…it reflected and manifested differently in all. Many not so fortunate found it extremely hard to get morsels to feed their families and to stay alive. Hardships and vulnerabilities surfaced. Their inability to deal with their hardships, insecurities and their inner self led them to cause destruction around them, physical violence being one of them. Like it has been truly said, the coronavirus didn’t break the system. It revealed what was already broken.
On the other hand, it has made many of us more sensitive and more aware. A sense of gratitude for what we have and a sense of generosity to help those who were not as fortunate. Whether it was our own staff, our vendors, or general migrants and daily wagers who were stranded, homeless and jobless with no money to even buy food.
Every single person I know has been supporting some or the other charity or a community, by providing them with food and basics. Many of us from the events industry started and supported special funds for the artists for artists who relied on live concerts for sustenance.
How did all of this happen? Did we suddenly develop this sensitivity or was it in us all along? Simply hidden by the chaos of our “normal” lives, not getting an opportunity to surface.
The Virus has indeed brought out the best in of all of us. We have all learnt to value the things which we took for granted. Our family, our environment, our own lives.
Every business has its own way of absorbing us. We compromise our complete selves to achieve and accomplish what we have set out to do. Start to live robotic mechanical lives. Lose awareness of our surroundings and create a space for ourselves with firewalls.
The Virus expedited the onset and growth of the Digital world and has taken it to the next level. Everything is now happening in the virtual space, be it meetings, conferences, workshops, exhibitions, any and every event, weddings! Every space is overflowing with digital, virtual and hybrid events.
AI is the new buzz word. We are seeing and will see more and more innovations in social and cultural activities.
This is the time to reboot ourselves.
What we saw as a foreseeable future, has all changed. Our thinking has changed. Our priorities have changed. Many have lost their lives for reasons other than Corona virus. Hunger, poverty, economic shutdown, has impacted every industry and individual. Business houses have had to down scale and modify their working systems.
Work will happen, things will get modified, collaborations will become the norm and we will all adapt to what is the “New Normal” and start growing again.
Hopefully, the big lesson taught by onslaught of COVID 19, of humility, gratitude and charity will stay and we will all make the effort to stay the “NEW US”.
