Reflect & React

We are living in a time of fictional reality.

A sense of restlessness stemming from a shift in the essential structure of our life, it’s not easy to reshape your day where a lot of lines have blurred and things we took for granted are no more accessible. We are living in a sense of fear and uncertainty from the connes of our most familiar space, our home. And yet,we are putting all our efforts to keep the momentum going strong. The saying “Mind over body” has never been more apt, where we need a new discipline that would guide us through this time.

We are standing on a strange locus where the sense of togetherness has grown stronger in the act ofdistancing. Reconnecting with people, close and distant, and experiencing a newfound love for simple dialogues and exchange of ideas. Or rediscovering the things we loved or wanted to do, had time not been a constraint.

There is a silver lining here.

I, for one, have started to focus on my health by meditating more as the first light of the day has never been this tranquil before. And definitely being physically active teaching my 4-year old daughter to bike and skate in the corridor. Reading the books from the pile I have collected over the years has also become a big part of the day. And the scene from my window comes up with surprises every now and then with all sorts of birds flying across. Which also tells us how things are changing outside our walls.

Nature is emerging in all its glory and giving us an opportunity to realise the effect we have had on it. From dolphins swimming near the banks of Mumbai to the clear waters in Venice revealing the colours of its marine life and deers wandering in the streets of Japan which was originally theirs to roam.

There’s no hiding the fact that we would come out of this with a different perspective, a direction that depends on how we live our present.

Four Walls of a Good Time

Having few options makes room for creativity; We have come to realise this as even with the curbed, less-than-usual resources and space, our brains have started to rewire towards some positive ventures.

Here’s what we did, that you could too.

People on the shelf

We know it’s difficult and Netflix comes first. But there’s sure to be some books that you have in a corner that’s been longing for your company. There’s no hiding now. It’s time to socialize with the people waiting in those pages and warm up to their stories. And who knows, this isolation might just lead to a deeper relationship.

We Recommend:

Three Men in a Boat – Jerome K Jerome

The Narrow Road to the Deep North – Richard Flanagan

Of Stews and Brews

Mom’s recipe, made by you. There’s nothing like the sound of a bubbling sauce, with a whiff of the masalas that just brings your home alive. You could master the art of making a cheese sandwich or dare yourself to cook a 5-course meal, let the pots and pans talk and see the magic happen. You might end up loving yourself more.

We Recommend:

Take a look at this recipe and some other great ones here https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/no-fuss-shepherds-pie

Or this page where they give you a whole lot of cooking tips and tricks.https://www.cookinglight.com/eating-smart/best-quarantine-meals

Hello Love

We hope the paints in your drawer haven’t dried up. Although there are ways to revive them (See link below). A guitar with broken strings on the other hand might be more tricky, but then again, it’s essentially a drum with strings stretched over it. If you have the tools to pursue what you love, then time is no longer an excuse, just the bed.

We Recommend:

Check out Polina Bright’s videos for some inspiration https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-jqVTW1y9f7aZS_ND-uBBw

Or if you want to learn some strumming https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJgRMHrtQpnhKHdsGiFQRyQ

Board it up

It’s time to give the good old fashioned board games some rigorous dusting and get them out to play. Roll a dice for some healthy contention or try a sneaky move on the chequered spread. Bring back those old memories from your childhood and give the kids a reason to unplug and slow down a bit.

We Recommend:

The good old Scrabble

And the precariously standing Zenga

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