-Brian Mendonça
The wind blows where it pleases
You can hear its sound
but you cannot tell from where it is coming
or where it is going.
John
3:8
Lockdown 2 (L2) i.e. the second lockdown from 15th
April till 3 May, has refined coping strategies to stay marooned during Lockdown
1 i.e. from 22 March to 14th April.
To borrow a metaphor from the
gospel of the Mass last week (quoted above), COVID -19 has struck like the
wind. Last week we were exhorted by an old man and his musicians asking us to
‘Stay the *&^% at home.’ Two ladies in black and white belted out a parody
of ‘I will survive.’ Yet, if one maintains a schedule at home, time itself
vanishes like the wind.
During lockdown, space is
constant, i.e. at home. The time dimension, however, is fluid. Time is usually
spent on activities in any of three categories, viz. 1. Grooming 2. Brooming and 3. Zooming.
1. Grooming
This includes all the activities performed take care of
oneself. Personal hygiene, a smart hair cut and some trendy clothes – even in
the house - go a long way to boost your confidence. Feeling the menthol after a
smooth shave gives me that extra zing to face the day. Working out keeps you in shape.
2. Brooming
Wielding the broom is essential to have a clean living
space. Mopping the house is back-breaking but the house loses its lustre
without it. Washing the dishes, filling
the drinking water and putting the clothes out to dry are essential for the
day-to-day smooth running of the house.
The house curtains were changed too.
Took the car for a spin downstairs.
3. Zooming In this category are included all the
activities that take you away to another dimension. Hearing the 9 a.m. daily
Mass on telecast live from Don Bosco, Panjim on Don Bosco TV, sets the mood for
the day. It also prevents needless oversleeping. Activities that help to relax
like cooking a favourite dish – and sharing it on your blog - give a sense of self-worth. Hauling down a manuscript and readying it for
publication is another idea to keep busy. Anyone for guitar or keyboard?
Children
need to be given opportunities to play and keep themselves occupied. In the
late evenings sometimes we haul our carom board into the balcony and the whole
family plays. TV time needs to be rationed.
Meal times are when the family talks, fondly recalling stories of family members who have
passed on. Children can be asked to do
small tasks like drawing the curtains at dusk, or helping to put the clothes in
the washing machine.
L2 has
given us the space to connect with ourselves and with others. Video chat is the
order of the day. Squeals of delight
rock the house as Dwayne watches his cartoon movies. L2 can be a happy time with a medley of
grooming, brooming and zooming. As Jeffrey Fox puts it, in another context, ‘Groom,
broom, and watch your company zoom.’*
------------------------------------
*How
to Become a Great Boss: Winning Rules for Getting and Keeping the Best
Employees. Published in Gomantak Times, Weekender, Panjim, Goa on Sunday, 26th April 2020. Updated 27th April 2020. Pic courtesy (top) by Brian Mendonca, (below) Dwayne Mendonca
Comments