Covid Pandemic in 2020 & 2021 has separated most people world wide from their loved ones their family and friends and has indirectly strengthened the bond more.
When we are together under the same roof we take each other for granted. From memory as long as I was living at home in Madras surrounded by family, I never missed anyone as every one was there, both family and friends.
The Day I landed in Sydney in 1976 in a far away land, I missed every one dearly and they were all in my thoughts 24/7.
Did I love them more now or Love them less when they were with me ?
In life we seldom fully appreciate what we have but realise the value when separated by distance or even by death.
Dead people we love we can connect with only in our thoughts and dreams; but people separated by distance are only a Phone Call away.
In 1976 we had only Land lines and it cost Aud $10 for a one minute ISD call to India; a lot of money when you consider that I earned Aud $90 a week after Tax in my part time job as a Bus Conductor in Sydney. My sisters and mother always said "just call once a month as it is too expensive for you". True love
A slower alternative was Snail mail, letters and picture post cards, that could take a few weeks to reach India from Sydney by Airmail
Thanks to Covid I have not seen my Little Grand Daughter GiGi Bear, for Ten Long weeks now even though she lives only a few kilometers away from us and I can tell my heart is growing fonder of GiGi by the day
Thank God it is 2021 and we do not have to use ESP to connect with our Loved ones. We Have Super duper Digital Mobile Phones, Social Media like Face Book, Whatsapp, Telegram, and Face Time, Zoom and Microsoft Teams and what not
My Pet Hate on Whatsapp is a few hundred Good Morning and Good Nights forwards yet I am anxiously looking for my Good Morning Photo of My GiGi Girl. Jessica my Daughter in Law dresses her up like a Lil Diva, does a photo shoot every morning and shares with us Grand Parents, like this one.
Who did I miss most when I moved out of home ?
My Mother of course and her message to me always was
Love between a Man and woman, a husband and wife is very different not unconditional but very conditional as if it is part of a Business Contract
We as Husband and wife Fight a Lot these days in retirement.
Before retirement from 8.00am to 10.00pm Five days a week was all about work, children cooking and watching TV and Going to sleep.
In Retirement suddenly you see each other all the time except when we go out separately giving rise to more Pearls of Irritations and sparks that provoke and ignite a fire that often explodes though not intended.
Covid Lock down means we are as husband and wife stuck at home 24/7 except when we go to see our doctors and get on each others nerves.
As Humans when we are troubled, we take it out on the very people who live with us and are around us all the time.
Meaning Husbands become the Punching bangs
My wife and I, often ask each other to name one person of the Oppose sex who is a perfect husband or wife and despite all the fights we agree that we will fall in love and marry each other one more time
Strange it might seem but true
Friendship on the Other hand between two humans has no strings attached and no marital contracts and obligations, even after decades of friendship on just one misstep we can cut ties and walk away.
In a life time we interact with thousands of people, some become friends for a reason and others friends for a season and some especially childhood friends say from school are there for life.
Time, Distance and Fortunes Good or Bad do not affect such Friendships . Such ties are hard to find and if you can count them on your ten fingers you are a lucky human being.
This Hindi song depicts what I am saying here
In Conclusion Dear Family and Friends, "Distance and Separation in Sept 2021 is in fact a Blessing in Disguise for all of us to stay Safe and Alive with Delta Roaming free like a drunken Rogue
Delta does not treat family and friends any different to strangers. It is wrong to believe you cannot get Covid infection from some one you love and respect.
My friend and lawn mower man George, visited his elderly parents father 90 and mother 86 on a Wednesday morning cooked & ate breakfast with them and no one realised the mother had covid.
Over the week end she was rushed to hospital Father fell ill a few days later and he too became seriously ill and was rushed off to hospital and both died shortly after, within a week of each other.
George himself got infected too and was self quarantined in a Caravan outside his home and was not allowed to visit his parents in hospital and could not say a proper good bye either.
George turned up at my door step this morning after ten weeks of trauma and isolation saying he has been checked and cleared to go back to his lawn mowing business.
The Minute I saw George instead of asking him in and offering him a cuppa and my Condolences, the Minute I saw George, I put my mask on and kept my distance and told George I was sorry and he says
"Ram I have seen how Covid can destroy lives first hand and can understand and appreciate your fears, No offence taken".
A True Friend I must say
Such is life Today.
Take extra Care
Better be Safe than Sorry
Have a Great weekend folks
Count your Blessings and be Happy with what you Have
God Bless
PS: It was my nephews B Day yesterday and to Celebrate we ordered Uber Lunch and Cake to be delivered to his address.
Crazy times makes us humans adapt quickly
