The first time you hear of a positive case in your family, it is not of a personally close relative but it still hurts very much never the less. More so, because it hurts your mother or your grand mother who were relatively much more close to that relative.
So how do we deal with this loss?
As humans we are so sensitive to each other’s pain. A good humans some times we try so hard to go out of our way.
When someone’s loved one dies or becomes positive with the virus, or when we know the impending doom is to befall on the fragile heart of a soul, we protect. As parents, we protect from our children what will they feel. As children, we protect form our parents truths that are best kept hidden. We shield and hide, and somehow, we suffice, until the inevitable takes place and they know.
They know the harsh truth. The truth they always feared.
A loss is hard. No matter when it comes, no matter how it comes. One fine day you are having the best day of your life, and slowly a whisper will come through your door and it will be a doom.
How do you react? How do you deal with the truth, the pain and the bad news?
Do you ignore it, live in denial, in your own sweet, happy ever after? Or do you face it head on?
Does it overwhelm you? Those images of media telling you the worst is not over. Flashes of images. People on the floors, Discarded dead bodies. Grim. Sad. Hopeless worlds.
Do you face it head on? Look at it in the eye. Process your feelings. Cry.
Empty your heart out through your eyes. Hydrate. Repeat. Isolate. Crave human interaction. Heal.
and then somewhere deep down you HOPE. You fight. Relentlessly reminding your mind of all the recovered cases. You remind yourself that people do survive and that doom is not impending when we have this powerful, yet fragile human might. You value life.
Pranjulaa Singh 