Is it possible to clap with one hand? Asked my one-time neighbour when I ran into him the other day. I was puzzled by this enigmatic question. He explained. His daughter working in China is in love with her Chinese colleague. They decided to get married. Fortunately, they had the blessings of their respective parents. The girl’s parents proposed that the wedding be held in their hometown in 24 Parganas district — a proposal favourably regarded by the boy’s. All this happened last year when many in China and almost everybody in the outside world were unaware that the scourge of coronavirus would spread from Wuhan.
However, when the boy and his parents sought permission to leave for India for the wedding, the Chinese authorities refused to give them consent. Alas, you can’t have a unilateral marriage. And now that the entire world is staring at the pandemic, the poor lovers wouldn’t know when the wedding bells will ring for them.
As was expected, news about the virus spreading out of China prompted people to take safety measures. Earlier masks were easy to come by. You landed them as swimmingly as you bought a loaf of bread. But in the changed scenario, masks sell like hotcakes. For those who venture out for essentials, putting on masks have become second nature these days. And scarcely would you see people whose faces haven’t vanished into masks.
Year after year, we close relatives celebrate Vishu and Onam by getting together to partake of the feast. After the feast, we would engage ourselves in chitchatting and laughing. However, this year, COVID-19 has played spoilsport, forcing all of us to confine to our own houses. Yet, after the feast at our respective houses, we got together virtually, talked and played, cocking a snook at the virus!
We have three weapons in our quiver to keep the virus at bay: wearing mask, washing hands with soap and social distancing. They have become an oft-repeated mantra now.
We know masking, hand washing and social distancing are only a temporary step. So, finding a vaccine has become the holy grail of medical researchers. Their optimism gives us hope for seeing safer days soon!
Dale Carnegie’s words are apt here: “Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.”
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