CORONA has given one an opportunity of a lifetime to get locked into one’s home to remain safe. Yet, it’s payback time coming up shortly.
As we recollect the days gone by it would be prudent to observe the unsung heroines and heroes who walked the ‘last mile’ to keep the fires burning in our kitchens and the toil and single-minded perseverance which they collectively displayed during these unprecedented times to ensure life remains as near to normal as it could be . It would be sacrilege on our part to just return to the old ways of life and conveniently forget their saga of fortitude, which has helped us all survive, by not recognising their heroism.
Be it that vegetable vendor who persisted in walking our streets hawking essential greens, despite all kinds of information about the deadly virus proliferating phones and on the TV, or that talkative and effervescent fruitwallah with his now-subdued demeanour down with worries clouding his mind about the rental coming up for his small dwelling unit , or her daughter’s school or tuition fees payable at the end of the month with little or business to help her reach some palpable income level to at least get some food on the table immediately …
How many of us can now open our pantries and critically look at the huge piles of those noodles one had impulsively bought or that ‘extra’ 10 kg bag of Atta bag or that 5 litre cooking oil bottle bought to ‘just’ stock up and critically examine what will never be eaten and can really be spared . With the better part of the lockdown already behind us why not aggregate all such extra foodstuff we have hoarded fearing food shortages which never actually happened and share this with the foot soldiers who looked after us all in CORONA times to just in part obliterate the need for them to go buy the same stuff for themselves?
Door to door survey in a medium-sized apartment block would surprisingly reveal enough to share with that ironing lady near the parking lot, the Security guys who one called out to keep the milkman waiting while one rushed down early morning to ensure no cuppa was bereft of the magic white liquid, the fruit and vegetable vendors, your plumber who rushed to fix your leaking faucet, the electrician who despite the lock down made arrangements to keep your power on with his desi jugaad and many more due to which our ecosystem flourished CORONA curbs notwithstanding.
Like the cab aggregators have wisely become an interface between the cabbies and the passengers why cannot we all become honorary aggregators to help out those who helped us when the chips were seemingly down and whose daily life depends on such vocations? These persons are from the unorganised sector with no one to call their own and no umbrella to take shelter within.
Regular income households can easily adopt their kids for three months to help out with their school and tuition fees. Remember it’s the beginning of the academic year and the lump sum payment for the coming quarter is the heaviest? It’s more than the money that the feelings behind such a venture which shall count. Am so very positive that if properly and adequately explained to these heroes – that these efforts are not to be seen as charity but rather all our hearts speaking in unison to profess the truest and deepest thanks to them, that their self-esteem and honour shall not take a beating. It’s not alms being offered but a rope thrown to a man in swirling waters where despite his swimming prowess the current is seemingly too strong… Give it three months or so and I bet you that all these soldiers will be back on their feet with their normal brisk trade. Yet these gestures will forever bind them to the community you live in today.
Think about it – it’s not such a ‘unique’ idea after all. Just requires one small meeting of the residents, some persons volunteering, a collection drive and thereafter making exactly similar packages for one and all – no disparity as the same shall lend itself to the curiosity of a negative nature. Involve our kids – young and those not so young to cap this lockdown experience with pleasant memories which shall be savoured for a long time. The smiles and blessings to all of us from these soldiers which shall accrue will be of such magnitude and degree that no evil designs of any damn virus can venture nearby, ever. Corona has taught us that man can survive with minimal – so let go of all that extra foodstuff lying unused, loosen the purse strings to do a little para-banking to get this community back in the mainstream of life. That’s all.
It’s payback time, folks !
The question remains – DO YOU HAVE IT IN YOU TO DO IT ?