Before going to bed, what's the last thing you do? When was the last time you checked up on yourself? Would you like to be left all alone for a few hours? I’d say no, to all these questions. I’ve given a lot of ‘pep talks’ to my closest friends on how we should enjoy being with ourselves and like our own company. But now when I think of it, I haven’t really applied that to myself. Like they say, “easier said than done”.
It may sound weird, but realistically, at the end of the day all we have is ourselves, just us and our thoughts. No one really stays forever. That’s the harsh truth of life. Nonetheless, being alone and the fear of it, at least makes us stronger. We just have to come to terms with that. Life is very uncertain and unpredictable. A very small example - one day we’re at a café with our best friends, and the other we aren’t on talking terms with them. Humans by nature are social animals. We need some kind of support in order to function. But if we have to be there for others, we HAVE to first be there for ourselves. Be okay with our flaws and imperfections. Because if we don’t, then what good will it do to the people around us?
The other day, one of my friends made me realize that I, as an individual, constantly need someone around. Someone who doesn’t like her own company, needs validation throughout. All this is probably the reason why one would have this continuous feeling of helplessness amidst this pandemic. Day after day you have no one but you. You’re obviously bound to get tired of this virtual 2021 world at some point. And then it’s just you sitting in your bedroom, in the middle of the day, trying to contemplate every decision you’ve made. That conversation that day is the reason I’m writing this and also trying to work on myself.
The only consolation, despite being a sad one, is that I’m not alone in this and most of us are facing this challenge. We’ve got this, if we start embracing what we’ve become/what we have. Instead of pinpointing all the bad things. Changing our perspective basically. There’s a lot of darkness within us but that only makes more room for light.
By DEEYA HARPALANI / JUNE 5, 2021