The Banter
An open letter
2020 will go down in history as the year that the whole world had to deal with a single enemy. It’s always been either one region of the world dealing with an issue by itself, as in the case of Ebola or the swine flu or even war and the rest watching from the sidelines. Watching after watching the sci-fi movie Arrival I came to the conclusion that should aliens be real and should they visit earth, humanity still wouldn’t be brought together.
Covid-19 came and suddenly everyone was affected in one way or another(Some more than others). Panic struck, governments were thrown into a turmoil and one after another started imposing lockdowns and curfews to control the spread of the pathogen; which brings us to this point-the point of isolation. Most of us are still in isolation of sorts and the effect can be felt world-wide. Back in the day when I was young and ignorant I used to say stuff like “I wish I’d get two six month holidays every year” or “I wish I didn’t have to go to school and instead could study from home.” These thoughts seemed fancy maybe because we were children and didn’t have to worry where the next meal would come from or didn’t have bills to pay. But now that we’ve got several things running at the same time, being locked up isn’t so ideal anymore.
The biggest problem has been the mental issues that have come along with it and these issues cut across all age-groups. Young people have been affected, bread-winners who lost their sources of income even more and worse affected are the old people who literally have to stay in-doors because they are most vulnerable and can’t risk going out unless it’s very important. Naturally we are social beings and from time immemorial humans have always had to operate in social circles. So being locked down without that human interaction really can drive a lot of us crazy. I’ve always considered myself neither an extrovert nor an introvert but a mix of the two (Those who know me would probably disagree and claim that I talk too much). I enjoy spending time with friends and family and meeting new people whenever the opportunity arises but my social batteries run out just as quick. So I enjoy my company in as much as I enjoy others’ company. Yet having been stuck at home for the better part of the year I can say am really beginning to see how important human interaction is. I’ve gotten a chance to catch up with some friends and the feelings were all over the place. Some were holding up well and some were really feeling down and were so excited for a chance to talk. I was the most excited and I really get excited when I hear my phone ringing and someone genuinely wants to talk.
Please get in touch with your your friends and get to check on them. Call that elderly couple that attend the same church as you or live down the street alone. You just never know you might save a life considering the rising cases of suicide. There is nothing worse for a mentally affected person than to be locked with their own thoughts. The mind is a battlefield and we sometimes need some help to win our battles against the negative thoughts. Spread the warmth and love. If you’re affected in anyway, don’t be afraid to reach out. Let’s be there for each other.
