Priyanka’s Creative Writing Piece

Extract from Priyanka’s Creative Writing Piece

“Open spaces again became so important in our lives”

By that time, we didn’t even know what this virus was called! What an irony! The name that every child knows now, even knows how to spell it. Seriously, has it really happened to us? Have we lived our lives for 2 whole years in uncertainty, praying and wishing that our loved ones remain safe? Suddenly, the video calls or should I say, Zoom calls (new thing in the market) to parents and friends increased making us realise how important these relations are, that had taken a back-seat in not so distant past. Unexpectedly, there were large queues outside the “essential” shops. While all other shops were closed and the shopkeepers were wondering why they were not categorised as essential that could have saved their businesses, given them some pennies to look after their families. Just in one instance, the whole world had stopped. Everyone was in front of the telly, doing P.E. with Joe Wicks, there was a shortage of toilet paper rolls (which I still cannot understand why) and everyone was trying to preserve every drop of hand sanitiser. The television was filled with frightening news of families losing their loved ones to the deadly virus called the ‘Coronavirus’, or the so-called disease – COVID-19 and how helpless they were being not able to say their final goodbyes to their loved ones.

After few days, I completely switched off my television set as it was making me very anxious and I was carrying a baby in my tummy. The kids were also at home due to “home-schooling”. Listening to the news scared them of the world around them which until now was filled with innocence and ignorance. To take the mind off all this, our family started walking daily covering miles and admiring others’ gardens (as there was nothing else to do), taking inspiration from them to work in our garden which we had neglected in the past.

Open spaces again became so important in our lives. Was the nature trying to tell us something; that the humans should pause some time and look back at their actions?