A Sneak Peek into 2030!

Sunday

7th October 2030

Time: 22:45 pm

Dear Diary,

It’s been a decade since the world encountered a global pandemic which ruined everyone’s joy and happiness. Today, I am celebrating Diwali with my friends but when I look back to that year, I recollect everything being in chaos due to the Covid-19 pandemic. I haven’t shared my experience with anyone so I thought that it’s the right time to pen down my feelings on my first “Virtual Diwali”.

It was a strange period with nobody knowing what lay ahead, a period full of uncertainty and despair. As usual due to slow winds, the capital city was choking with thick smog and the government had announced a ban on sale of firecrackers. But that week, I wasn’t feeling the excitement of the festival in me. The hustle-bustle of the festival was missing, leaving me feeling even more downcast than usual. Annually, my school would be off and my heart would be racing with joy at prospect of eating yummy sweets and celebrating with friends, family and relatives, exchanging gifts and just reveling in the beauty of the lights. 

But due to the pandemic, everything was closed, lockdown had been imposed, people were dying and all this broke the festive spirit inside me. My mother was dejected since this was the only time in year where she would meet her friends and family and celebrate with them but this particular year it was totally different. My father was the only optimistic person that year. He tried to lift up moods by singing songs and cracking jokes. Indeed, it did  lift our moods and we decided to celebrate it in a unique way. 

We all dressed our best  and decorated our home with lights, diyas and flowers of different varieties. Since we couldn’t go outside so we made rangoli inside our house and it looked great. My mother completed all the rituals of the day and later we greeted and talked with our relatives through video conference. As the day progressed, the gloom inside me lifted and

I felt happy and delighted and now when I look back to it, I believe it was one of the best Diwalis I have celebrated till date. This unique opportunity made me realize that I must be grateful for all I have, for it can all be taken away easily.

Yours gratefully,

Sarthak

(by Sagnik Sarkar, Editorial volunteer at Adolescence Development Club)