It appeared to be the end of mankind with hundreds and thousands of people dying every day. Everyone was anxious about what’s going to happen next. Then one evening, everything changed when a nationwide lockdown was announced. Following the lockdown, it appeared as if life came to a standstill as an attempt to survive an apocalypse. With no-one on the roads, crowded streets became empty. There was a lot less human interaction. Some people had their dreams shattered; others dreamed of spending a happy vacation with family but everyone was anxious about the next steps in their life.

As mentioned in the song ‘Memories Never Die’ by Morphia, “Time flows like a river running wild”. Staying home and stepping out occasionally to buy essentials became an integral part of life. Everyone became even more addicted to things that they were already addicted to.

One morning while scrolling through social media feeds I found some positive news stories that the hole in the ozone layer has been restored because of decreased pollution levels, the air in our surroundings has become cleaner, many wildlife and marine species that appeared to have disappeared came back, and forests have started to replenish itself.

I stepped out of my room to the balcony and gazed at my surroundings. It was mesmerizing to feel a current of optimism starting to flow within me. Indeed nature had replenished itself: chirping and playing of birds and squirrels, occasional showers of rain, cool breezes of wind, and dancing of butterflies. This made me think that everything has a purpose. A world dominated by humans who exploited the environment for their own selfish use might have gotten a lesson. The more you surround yourself with negativity, the more damage it has on your mind & body. If you can find even the slightest glimmer of optimism, you should take it.