A comeback from Covid
As she stared at the phone’s screen, a tiny bit of joy and a sliver of guilt came to her at once like yin and yang. Was it wrong to feel so happy in this situation? But why not? Feeling happy for oneself is one of the greatest joys. Why was she feeling guilty about it? Perhaps it was because she had always put the happiness of her family before herself. And had she expressed how happy she was in the current situation, she would have been labeled awkward, weird, and selfish.
She was in the Covid ward after all.
Maya closed her eyes and brushed off the cobwebs of thoughts. ‘Live in the moment. Live in the moment, Maya’. With a hint of smile on her face, she opened the message on her phone: “Hey, maybe you should start with Heidi. It’s the story of a little girl who helps her loved ones find their place in the world.”
The next book recommendation from Keshav, her husband.
It had been seven years since Maya had last read a book.
Without wasting time, Maya went to the e-book store, bought a copy and began to read. And as she read, it was as though portals to a lost world had been opened for her -the world of words, emotions, and stories- the world she had left behind.
She had been a prolific writer through high school and college. Her friends and teachers alike had predicted that she would one day become a great author. All but one that is. While praising her writing, Mr Tripathi, the Head of the Department, had asked a pointed question. “You write beautifully Ms Maya, but what you really need to think about is this: Would you still be able to keep the spirit and the work of writing alive when “life” happens? That’s where true achievement lies.”
Maya only understood the meaning of that question when life actually happened.
Job
Marriage
Responsibilities of the house
The birth of her son Madhav
At first, her reading time had shrunk to an hour at night before totally disappearing with childbirth. Then slowly, the ideas for writing began to die as only one thought dominated her mind: Madhav. Her husband Keshav, a clinical psychologist, knew what was happening. He tried his best to be supportive; to allow her some time to herself, but it was of little use. She would spend a couple of minutes trying to think of new writing ideas, then dream about creating a bright future for her son, think of some pending housework, and then descend into sadness for having done absolutely nothing in the time that she knew was rare and precious. She had been unable to shake off this train of thoughts, and had begun to actually hate spending time alone.
With Covid-19 diagnosis, that hated alone-time would be back to haunt her.
Or would it?
When it was decided that Maya would have to spend some time in Covid care center, Keshav, instead of being stressed, had had a glint of mischief in his eyes. “You could use the time to read some books. There are no responsibilities to hide behind this time”, he had said as they parted ways at the hospital.
Since then, for the past week, he had sent her one book recommendation every day, sending her on a whole new journey. Her favourite old authors, their writing styles, their ways of thinking, their ideas, and then her own ideas and dreams-it had all come back to her. Now, as she read Heidi, May was reminded of her wish to become a children’s author.
It was a dream that lay buried for the past eight years. Could the Covid-enforced isolation help her reignite it?
Why not?
Today was her last day at Covid care center. She had 15 days of quarantine ahead when she got home from the hospital. Maybe she could make them count?
She checked the time on her phone. She was due for discharge within a few hours. Now, Maya decided to devote her remaining time at the Covid center to doing something she had never done before: listing out writing ideas and figuring out ways to find time for herself. Reading books for the last few days had created a sliver of hope. Now, if only she could use it to forge a path...
Despite the weakness, Maya’s brain began working in overdrive. Soon, she saw herself at her desk at home, writing a story. Then the desk turned into the bech she had occupied in college and she was staring into Mr Tripathi’s smiling face saying “I see you are close, but will you achieve it?” She wanted to reply with a resounding yes, but she lost all strength and slowly drifted off to sleep.
The ring of the cell phone broke her sleep again.
“Hi. I’m here. Let’s go home now shall we?” It was Keshav. Maya got up and found him standing faraway at the entrance of the ward. She got up as quickly as possible, and upon packing her belongings, began walking. Even through her weakness, Keshav noticed the increased confidence in her stride. “Right. I see you are going to put the quarantine to some good use.” Keshav knew she had found new inspiration to write.
“Oh, and we have a surprise for you at home.!” he hurried ahead to the car.
When the car drifted into the alley where Maya lived, she noticed anew, the flow and rhythm of life in the surroundings. The fat ladies at the joggers park, the shops full of customers, all amidst ubiquitous masks and sanitizers. The world wasn’t totally normal, but happiness was coming back.
Anyway. What could the surprise at home be? Would it jeopardise her writing plans? She wouldn’t be able to look after the five-year-old Madhav or do any household work. Keshav must have planned something to make her quarantine joyful. What would it be?
Maya got home, entered her room, and found the answer
Her desk lay at her favorite corner by the window. Atop it sat her laptop, and hard copies of all the books recommended by Keshav. Besides the book there was a little note in Keshav’s small yet neat handwriting.
Maya,
I'm sure being alone and lost in the world of books must have given you new inspiration to write. It’s time to let your spark shine!
Cheers!
-Keshav
At that moment, Maya knew why she had married that man. She could see he was now busy watching cooking videos to learn survival without her. Maya’s heart was filled with love for her husband.
But that could wait.
Right now, she had a grand comeback to make!
So, Maya opened her laptop and whispered (for she could not roar it due to weakness) the mantra that she had often thundered when began writing her stories.
“Scattered words and forgotten ideas,
Gods of legends and myths
Open the door to the realm of stories
By command of the queen of quills”
Job
Marriage
Responsibilities of the house
The birth of her son Madhav
At first, her reading time had shrunk to an hour at night before totally disappearing with childbirth. Then slowly, the ideas for writing began to die as only one thought dominated her mind: Madhav. Her husband Keshav, a clinical psychologist, knew what was happening. He tried his best to be supportive; to allow her some time to herself, but it was of little use. She would spend a couple of minutes trying to think of new writing ideas, then dream about creating a bright future for her son, think of some pending housework, and then descend into sadness for having done absolutely nothing in the time that she knew was rare and precious. She had been unable to shake off this train of thoughts, and had begun to actually hate spending time alone.
With Covid-19 diagnosis, that hated alone-time would be back to haunt her.
Or would it?
When it was decided that Maya would have to spend some time in Covid care center, Keshav, instead of being stressed, had had a glint of mischief in his eyes. “You could use the time to read some books. There are no responsibilities to hide behind this time”, he had said as they parted ways at the hospital.
Since then, for the past week, he had sent her one book recommendation every day, sending her on a whole new journey. Her favourite old authors, their writing styles, their ways of thinking, their ideas, and then her own ideas and dreams-it had all come back to her. Now, as she read Heidi, May was reminded of her wish to become a children’s author.
It was a dream that lay buried for the past eight years. Could the Covid-enforced isolation help her reignite it?
Why not?
Today was her last day at Covid care center. She had 15 days of quarantine ahead when she got home from the hospital. Maybe she could make them count?
She checked the time on her phone. She was due for discharge within a few hours. Now, Maya decided to devote her remaining time at the Covid center to doing something she had never done before: listing out writing ideas and figuring out ways to find time for herself. Reading books for the last few days had created a sliver of hope. Now, if only she could use it to forge a path...
Despite the weakness, Maya’s brain began working in overdrive. Soon, she saw herself at her desk at home, writing a story. Then the desk turned into the bech she had occupied in college and she was staring into Mr Tripathi’s smiling face saying “I see you are close, but will you achieve it?” She wanted to reply with a resounding yes, but she lost all strength and slowly drifted off to sleep.
The ring of the cell phone broke her sleep again.
“Hi. I’m here. Let’s go home now shall we?” It was Keshav. Maya got up and found him standing faraway at the entrance of the ward. She got up as quickly as possible, and upon packing her belongings, began walking. Even through her weakness, Keshav noticed the increased confidence in her stride. “Right. I see you are going to put the quarantine to some good use.” Keshav knew she had found new inspiration to write.
“Oh, and we have a surprise for you at home.!” he hurried ahead to the car.
When the car drifted into the alley where Maya lived, she noticed anew, the flow and rhythm of life in the surroundings. The fat ladies at the joggers park, the shops full of customers, all amidst ubiquitous masks and sanitizers. The world wasn’t totally normal, but happiness was coming back.
Anyway. What could the surprise at home be? Would it jeopardise her writing plans? She wouldn’t be able to look after the five-year-old Madhav or do any household work. Keshav must have planned something to make her quarantine joyful. What would it be?
Maya got home, entered her room, and found the answer
Her desk lay at her favorite corner by the window. Atop it sat her laptop, and hard copies of all the books recommended by Keshav. Besides the book there was a little note in Keshav’s small yet neat handwriting.
Maya,
I'm sure being alone and lost in the world of books must have given you new inspiration to write. It’s time to let your spark shine!
Cheers!
-Keshav
At that moment, Maya knew why she had married that man. She could see he was now busy watching cooking videos to learn survival without her. Maya’s heart was filled with love for her husband.
But that could wait.
Right now, she had a grand comeback to make!
So, Maya opened her laptop and whispered (for she could not roar it due to weakness) the mantra that she had often thundered when began writing her stories.
“Scattered words and forgotten ideas,
Gods of legends and myths
Open the door to the realm of stories
By command of the queen of quills”
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