Paradox of our times

Paradox of our times

While some countries began the summer with hope as vaccines started to roll out, most others were still going through lockdowns due to the increasing coronavirus cases. And with the beginning of August, the nightmare started to get real as the hospitalizations and deaths started to creep up in many parts of the world. But life rolled on as usual or so it seemed with the seasons leading the way. In the Northern Hemisphere, the weather was hot and sultry while in the Southern Hemisphere, the winter was coming to an end. The farmers began harvesting their crops as always. In countries with vaccines, life was returning to the pre-pandemic days. But in others, there was nothing resembling normalcy.

Blue skies, beautiful

sunshine, birds chirping around

freshness of summer

 

Linking to dVerse Challenge: Haibun Monday 8-2-21 – August

First day of summer

First day of summer

It had been a long hard winter with coronavirus wreaking havoc day after day. It was heartbreaking to see people struggling for their lives as the medical community began to buckle under the constant stream of patients. The dark clouds of uncertainty hung over everyone’s life.

But the vaccinations provided a silver lining amidst these dark clouds. And as the first day of summer began, these vaccinations were speeding ahead and began to show that there was light at the end of the tunnel. As the sun shone bright, the brightness in people’s lives also began to take shape.

first day of summer

with the sun shining bright amidst

the beautiful sky

Linking to dVerse Challenge: Haibun Monday 6-21-21: Solstice I

The ‘other’ pandemic

The 'other' pandemic

The pandemic has upended our lives in more ways than we can imagine. Alongwith the direct impact in terms of fatalities, health concerns, there has also been the indirect impact. People have lost their livelihoods along with savings which took years to build. Children have lost their precious years of school life. Families have been torn apart in more ways than one can imagine.

And to top it off, more and more people are going hungry and facing poverty than ever before. Years of gains in equality and social welfare along with treatment of other diseases has all been lost within a matter of months. As the number of mouths to feed continues to increase, families continue to wonder on what would happen the next moment.

“Only mouths are we. Who sings the distant heart which safely exists in the center of all things?

Linking to dVerse Challenge: Prosery – Here’s the thing about existing