“As your mother, I promise you that I will always be in one of three places: in front of you to cheer you on, behind you to have your back or next to you so that you aren’t alone”

This is my pledge to my son Niki, who is celebrating this birthday today. When I woke up this morning, I remembered the day he was born. Being in a teaching hospital campus meant we had so many students and friends and there was so much excitement among them when I had told them I was pregnant. It was pregnancy sort of shared by many so when I went into labour, the news spread like wildfire and the delivery room was full with our young friends and Niki was welcomed into this world with so much love and applause. And today my dear son had to spend his birthday all by himself in his flat — we sent him virtual hugs and lots of love over the phone. Now I hope and pray this lockdown doesn’t go on and on so we can see each other again.

When we welcomed 2020 little did we know that this leap year was coming with a devastating secret which was going to affect the entire globe, every country, race, colour, religion, knowing no borders. This secret was going to devastate so many families, neighbourhoods, businesses. This invisible killer was affecting people from every walk of life. This pandemic has thrown out all our preconceived ideas of our planet, our environment, our invincible nature that anything goes and humans can survive anything.

With all the modern technology, medical marvels and innovations, the only way we could stop this corona virus COVID-19 was the simplest of all – stay at home, social distancing being the buzzword of the day. But the arrogance and ignorance of humankind meant this simplest of instructions was flaunted and the virus has been spreading like the wildfires of Australia… devouring nations and affecting so many.

Nobody expected how much we will be affected and now with the mandatory lockdown – stay at home ordered by the government, all we can do is think and wonder how we have arrived at this juncture and how long we will have to stay away from our loved ones, how long do we have to stay away from this beautiful awesome countryside we are so fortunate to live close to, how do we appreciate the change of seasons we can see blooming around us, how do we occupy our time without going crazy within the four walls of our homes.

This is week 1 just gone by, not sure how many more to come before it is back to how it was before the nightmare began. I end my week 1 blog with a saying from the Bhagwad Gita ” one positive thought in the morning can change your whole day” and this thought will help me through the coming days.