Amidst the uncertainty

Like a ceaseless pendulum, the mind frantically swings between hope and despair, writes Renuka Krishnaraja

Sitting in my balcony one bright day, I look up at the clear blue vast sky streaked with sparse clouds. Laden with the mild fragrance of jasmines, champakas, and the neighbourhood seasonal blooms, the air feels crisp like never before. Spreading out their wings to take to the skies are some of the most ethereal creations of nature — the birds.

Going about their chores to pick up a bite for their young ones or a twig for their nests, they chirp tirelessly. Their distinct calls can be well lauded now. And then comes in a familiar gust of wind followed by the recurring spurts of rustling leaves. All of these are sounds of nature — amusing and soothing the mind. Yet, somewhere within there is an unsettling calm. The idea that these are the only sounds in an otherwise steadfast metropolis, is awful and bespeaks an element of terror.

With tremendous adversity struck upon humankind, there is a hidden upheaval that strives to surface upon quite often against my own will. There is an uncertainty prevailing, probably like never before. Amidst all this, we see the good, bad and the ugly side of humans looming large and evoking profound emotions. Like a ceaseless pendulum, the mind frantically swings between hope and despair.

I guess these are the impending effects of such unforeseen circumstances. All of a sudden, I am distracted from my disruptive thought process by a passing vehicle. To my surprise, it instantaneously cheers me up. I even have to resist a strong urge to wave at it given that one rarely sees them on road these days.

At this juncture, my memory hauls me back four decades when I used to live with my maternal grandmother in a self-reliant little town. “See my dear, look outside,” she would say whenever I grumbled of being bored. “There is a car, scooter, rickshaw,” as if the occasional emergence of a vehicle was likely a mode of entertainment. I couldn’t agree with her more in the current lockdown scenario. And the way she pronounced rickshaw naively as ‘vrishcha,’ how can I ever forget that. The modest flashback opens up a floodgate of memories that averts my mind from straying any further and bestows a dazzling smile on my face. The mind settles down for now like the bird firmly perched upon a tree branch. And then, I realise that I should keep finding simple, relevant and prompt ways to do so in future too. With the intent of resuming the piling household works, I get up and go into the house.