The Battle of Pandemic

Battles are fought to be won but there are always two sides of it – The Winners and The Losers.

Battles in the real war fields can be fought over and over again but when it comes to battling for life in this pandemic, there is no second chance for the losing one - The finishing line embraces the winners and escorts the losers into another world. With each demise, the pandemic celebrates the fear and panic it sets in the community and the residual human substrate keeps adding names to the consecutive transformations taken by the mutant DNA of the virus. Three trillion cells in the human body can put up a fight to drive out the infection, at best, but we cannot eliminate the lethal enemy. We can only wear masks and sanitize to fight a good fight !

The truth of death comes with a blatant face in this guerilla warfare and trivializes all human and medical efforts. The trigger point of contracting the virus can be in abundance but what lies ahead is pre-orchestrated in the hindsight. We may end up blaming the pandemic, medical facilities, timing, age factor but nothing overrides the destiny in the end. We, as mortals only toe the line drafted by the supreme source which in case of lost battles has a tragic end only. We end up feeling not only betrayed but connived in the ultimate scheme of things with destiny. The grief engulfs all the noble actions and intentions which one puts in to save the life – what remains is the incomplete puzzle in the memory lane dominated by isolation followed by ultimate isolation from this real world.

Speaking this word isolation is a double-edged sword – It works well for others in saving them from the contagious virus but is certainly counterproductive for the patient. The battle which was ought to be fought with an army of family members around, suddenly turns into unarmed combat that too a solo one. What begins with isolation at home leads to isolation wards in hospitals and if things don’t work out positively the aisles open into a solitary journey into another world. The family members and loved ones can only pray being out of sight and even deprived of the last glimpse of bidding a worthy farewell to the departed soul. The isolation ultimately draws a curtain on the identity of the individual wrapped in an insulated kit.

The question which haunts the bereaved family members is the adequacy of their actions in the whole sequence. The unending rattles in the afterthoughts of timing, medical infrastructure, medicine availability leave you only craving for one more chance – which is unfortunately irreversible in this case! Things could have been better, things could have been different, what could have changed the situation, what could I have done better and how could the tragic end been averted? All this and much more just remains unanswered – not because one was not ready to do all this differently but nobody was prepared to handle the pandemic in its dynamic face – the hospitals were not out of choice but out of mere availability – the doctors were not chosen ones but allocated ones – the treatment was not opted for but was available one – the dots just don’t join to give any solace to the family members – the grief is compounded with the helplessness of the situation.

Coming back to the eminent role of destiny and the supreme source – Life takes its course and leads from events to eventuality. We all know this and have lived with this fact for ages – but what aggravates the loss is the incompleteness of the efforts for an isolated being- while the family members were trying to drive the well being of the patient, the draft from heaven was already slated and working to pull out oxygen from the breaths. The battleground was not the city or environment it was the body of the patient – while doctors and staff were trying to retain the soul – the supreme source was determined to pull off the strings every passing day.

Unfortunately, nobody in our mortal being knows, what lies ahead. The isolation and the lone battle in the hospital could have given way for an extended time together in the fight .But all is not so easily done as it is said . We run amuck to save our loved ones when it comes to a life threatening situation. – Looking back and recalling the episode with a heavy heart - We tried our best to give the best possible at that time, is only the right and holy way of looking at it. What happened was actually destined and am only thankful for the beautiful memories of the past and blessings which I have received and will continue to receive from the stars above.

You are liberated of all the pain and fear of this pandemic – we just wish for your progress and well-being on the other side of the universe – keep guiding us and holding our hands – which you have always been so mindful - actually more mindful than your own steps.

Love you Dad from the stars to this earth !!