Thoughts about the state of the world penned on 3rd June ’20.
Since last night I have been feeling rather amused. Amused at the craziness that is suddenly surrounding us. Is it amused or bemused? I don’t know. This is all a bit too much. We, the rulers of this planet are hiding like rats. Run amuck and driven into our little holes. Where is all our power now? All we can do is react. Respond. Lick our wounds. And wonder how we will go ahead. What lies ahead? Is there more craziness to come? Do we have any power that can stop nature in its track? Not at all. But somewhere we believe that we are All-Powerful. Nature is mocking us now. It is showing us where the real power lies. Only dormant so far. Humanity has prodded it beyond a point now. To the point where it is simply telling us, by smacking us about, that we better mend our ways.
2019 was a bad year for us as a family and us as a business, and at the turn of the year on 31st December last year there was a sense of hope, a positive energy that the coming year would be better for all of us. Not happening. This year has been even worse and not just for us but for almost the entire world population. A strange alignment of the planets from an astrology perspective such that a large part of the world population is facing severely hard times all together.
We spent a quiet new year eve at home, just my wife and me. The boys had their plans. I distinctly remember talking to her about all the changes we could make to sort out the jumble our life has become. After some animated discussions we made an action plan, if you can call it that. My major worry in these months has been that I want to resolve as much as possible whilst I am around. Don’t want to leave challenges for the boys to handle. Most of it has happened under my watch and I must solve it as soon as I can. Life can be so unpredictable. And now when I sit and look out of the window with the trees swaying dangerously under the impact of cyclone Nisarga, the only thought that crops up is that — life is truly so so unpredictable.
On that new year eve night was all this even in our wildest imagination? Not at all.
There is so much craziness around us.
The Amazon wildfires and the bushfires in Australia. Destroying large swathes of the world’s precious forests. The world’s precious lungs. Something humanity can ill afford.
The Covid 19 pandemic has shaken human existence. So many have lost loved ones. The loss to life and human suffering is immeasurable. To add to that it has paused our lives since over two months now. Not just paused our lives, the world response has meant that all economies have been shattered, causing tremendous hardship for society at large. And leaving us with the looming possibility of civil unrest.
Children cannot meet their grandparents during these lockdown days. And those of us with aging parents are unable to be there for them.
People infected by the virus are dying lonely as loved ones are kept away. Even the funerals of non-infected people have been lonely as the world is in lockdown. This means a lack of emotional closure for many.
Domestic violence is on the rise as people are experiencing cabin fever.
The police machinery is unable to deal with anything but maintaining life. They are our front line and are also exhausted due to the long hours and are continuously at risk of getting infected. Many have been infected too.
Aircraft crash in Karachi city. Right into a residential area killing many.
Daily wage earners in cities like Mumbai and Delhi made a beeline to go home, but instead got quarantined and stranded in horrible conditions. Their struggle was heart wrenching.
People are being turned away from hospitals for regular treatments unless they already have a covid-negative certificate.
Swarms of locusts have destroyed large amounts of crops as they have travelled from Southern Iran into swathes of Indian territory. As my son keeps saying it all seems so Biblical. As if all the predictions of the world coming to an end are coming true right in front of our eyes.
Cyclone Amphan destroyed life, homes and livelihood of many in north east India. So many are homeless and jobless.
Cyclone Nisarga has hit Mumbai. Blustery winds and whistling sounds. Rattling windows as the winds pick up. Rain is pelting down. Thunder. Lightning. But the impact has been far less than expected for our densely populated metropolis. Most likely the epicenter will pass us by.
There is violence and protests for over ten days now in many US cities. A common cause and pent-up frustration are all causing some violent outbursts. Pillaging and rape are rampant.
There are also many positives whilst all this happening. People are helping their neighbours. Making food for strangers and sharing as much as is possible. There is sense of compassion for all those who are struggling. The front-line medical teams and police are doing a wonderful job of taking care of the infected and of maintaining law and order. They are constantly risking themselves. A true act of courage.
The administration is all at sea. Not knowing what the best line of action is. Kudos to all of them for doing their best in these uncharted waters.
But these are truly crazy times where the human spirit is being tested to its fullest. Questions to ponder over are — Will there be more for us to endure? Will it get even crazier? Will we come out stronger? Will only the strong survive as the weak get wiped out? How crazy will it get? Is the world truly coming to an end?
Only time will tell. Only time will tell my friends. God bless us all!!
Written By Mohit Gupta
Week 23, June ’20
