Solitude

Corona pandemic has pushed us to confinement for couple of months now. Some of us are managing this isolation with regular work schedule and family support. Some are fighting with health issues. Some are trying to cope up with financial difficulties. Apart from these, social distancing is leading to mental stress for many people. People are unable to express their mind in conventional way. Television and digital world seem to fall short in compensating this void.

There are people who already know how solitude feels like e.g. older people, people with motion related disability, people with depression, people sailing for months etc. Many people feel lonely even in the company of family. Artists and writers often turn solitude into inspiration for beautiful creations. But for majority, solitude is not a viable choice. Rather it is a punishment. This affects both the extroverted and introverted alike. By design, human being is a social animal. Our basic instinct made us connect with each other and set the basis of family and society. This connection may or may not be a gainful bonding but a link that makes us feel part of the greater mass.

Meeting and interacting with fellow beings is a way of life for us. Now it seems like a privilege that we used to enjoy without realizing. Solitude is never an option in the long term unless some body looses all the resources to stay connected. This lockdown period will be over one day. We should remember the lessons we learned. One of them is to reach out to the people who can not step out every day and make them feel connected.