Here's what an Army Wife thinks of dealing with Corona!

I contemplated a couple of times before actually jotting it down. I know probably few will still not agree with me and try to bash me Left, Right and Centre. But I don't care as long as this brings Positivity to even one Reader.

 

We shifted to Kashmir when it was going through one of the roughest phase, Death of Burhaan Wani. It resulted in burning of Kashmir to another level. We shifted there just couple of weeks after Burhaan Wani's death and I was virtually locked inside my so called home. My Husband went on duty and I was inside this Sub Cantonment with no Internet and no Connection to Him or Family whatsoever. We would desperately wait for Internet Connectivity.

 

I managed everything alone: cooking, cleaning, looking after self and home. I had three dogs back then and took care of all of them alone. We didn't have access to any online shopping (no Food delivery, no Amazon, no Myntra). A Vegetable van would come once in a week and we all would stand in queue and get vegetable and necessary stock for a week. I, made great friends in the community because all we longed was support and everyone displayed impeccable Community Spirit. We all would call our parents and hubbies whenever we would get network and life went on. My dog's learnt to pee and poo inside the washroom because the situations were such & also when it use to snow we couldn't step out.

 

 

There were threats issued at times and the whole area was put under lockdown. At times, there would be complete lights off and other wives would keep their kids inside. At times, we would have minimal lights, would pray that we just survive another day and pray for our husbands who were away on/for duty. Whenever there was relaxation and we went outside to visit nearby Civil Areas or Main City, we would/had to hear slogans like; Army go back, Indians go back, Dogs go back. It was the toughest time of my life but I Survived.

 

 

I survived days of my pathetic pregnancy there, where I, along with other patients, used to go to Military Hospital to get advance medical pregnancy checkup in a Military Van wearing full Bullet Proof Jacket and related Gear. Hospital was situated in Main Cantonment which was about fifteen kilometers away from Sub Cantonment where I lived in. Do you know what kind of entertainment we had? How to survive if there is an Air Raid by Drones? How to survive if there is bombing by the Militants? How to survive if there are Terrorist Threats? How to survive if there is Infiltration of Terrorists inside our Campus? In my eighth month of pregnancy, I had to fly out all alone to my parent’s place. I carried a Medical Certificate as there was Curfew in Main City/Air Port Areas and seats in the aircraft were rationed by Air Port Authorities. Nobody knew how the situation will be during total lockdown. But I Survived.

 

 

Why am I sharing all of this? Because I am deeply pained seeing all the cribbing going on for everything during Corona Lock Down, Less of grocery/fruits/vegitables available, Maids not coming home, Kids cannot go out, Cannot meet friends/relatives, Cannot go out Shopping, Cannot go for Morning Walk and so on so forth. Just imagine if it was not a lockdown due to a virus but an actual WAR. Would you still like to send your kids downstairs? Would you still go for a walk? Would you still crib if you had limited groceries? Then why crib now?

 

 

Did I do anything Heroic? NO. I just did whatever was necessary for a very basic human instinct, SURVIVAL. I had made a choice of getting married to a Fauji and I embraced it. We have the same choice now. Embrace the Situation. Embrace the situation for Yourself, for your Kids, for your Future Generation. You can be your own Hero. You are a Soldier now, Please abide by your Duties. You can fight this situation and would have your story of bravery that you can tell to your grandchildren.

 

 

Can we please rise above all our Political Inclination once? Can we please rise above Individualism? This isn't about Politics anymore, your child won't even remember which Political Party was ruling then.But he/she would definitely remember how their Parents reacted in the Time of Panic. Now is the time to show Solidarity. After all, Social Distancing doesn't cost anything. After all, Staying at Home doesn't need a budget allocation, isn't it?

 

Teach your kids RESILIENCE. Teach your kids ART OF SURVIVAL. Teach your kids LIFE SKILLS. Teach your kids PATIENCE. Teach your kids To COUNT THEIR BLESSINGS. Please do not teach Cribbing, Blame Games and ‘Chalta Hai’ Attitude. This Too Shall Pass, Trust Me. But please let's spread positivity and see Greater Good of our NATION.

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