If I told you that Covid-19 had actually been a blessing in disguise for us, what would you say? I can hear you say: “No way! It has been a calamity for all,” or “It’s the worst thing that ever happened!”

To this I would say, yes, that is true, but bear with me for a few minutes while I try to persuade you to rethink and see the positive side of the past year.

Let’s start with the lockdown. Around the beginning of March 2020, the virus started spreading like wildfire globally. Day by day, the cases increased and there had to be a strict lockdown all over the world and we all became home-bound.

Initially, staying at home was great, we all enjoyed being at home and not having to work, but as time progressed, all of us became bored. There were no outings, no get-togethers, and nothing to do at home. People who were infected with the virus were isolated in one room for days, not allowed to meet even their parents or children. This was another major problem, as self-isolation was also a road leading to depression and sadness.

A year has passed, there have been fluctuation in the number of infection cases, lockdown and restrictions of various kinds come and go, and now even the vaccine is here. And what is also here is the Covid-19 virus and the threat it possesses.

Due to constant rise in cases in the recent weeks, there have been many restrictions recently, educational institutions are closed for physical classes and we are homebound again.

All of us are feeling sad and down in the dumps. This is where I choose to see the positive side of this epidemic. First of all, this lockdown has given us an opportunity to learn many new skills, particularly those that are related to the needs of online learning. Online schooling has allowed us to work at our own pace and discover new ways of learning, and not just with chalk, blackboards and being spoon-fed by teachers.

It has also taught us responsibilities. We are given assignments posted by teachers and we have the option of cheating or being honest and attempting the work properly. We should not take advantage of the fact that we are not being watched or can’t be scolded. We should be responsible and do the work properly and submit it on time. The lockdown and social distancing has taught us responsibility, and we can utilise our time to the best of our capabilities by staying at home and learning new skills like coding, cooking, painting, reading, learning musical instruments, etc.

Covid-19 has also taught us how to appreciate every small thing we have in our life. Ever since the lockdown we have had numerous restrictions to do things which we used to do on a regular basis and never thought about how important a role that activity plays in our lives, or how it would affect us if we were restricted to do so.

For example, we never imagined how important a role going out and entertaining ourselves played in our lives until it was stopped. It has been a very challenging time and now that places are opening and adjusting to the ‘new normal’, even stepping out for something as little groceries is a very big deal for us.

They say ‘You never know the value of something until you lose it.’ This sentence has been proven so right in these hard times; I am sure all of us have realised the importance of going out, having fun, entertaining ourselves and socialising.

Speaking of socialising, another very important lesson Covid-19 has taught us is to appreciate the blessing God has given us in the form of our family and friends. It is a sad reality of life that many of us sometimes take our loved ones for granted and don’t spend time with them. We might think that socialising and meeting up with family is no big deal; because it was such an ordinary thing in our lives. Now that many of us want to meet our families, we are not allowed to. We want to meet them, spend quality time and once again plan outings.

Many people have even lost their loved ones in this pandemic and are going through very tough times. I sincerely hope that everyone reading this article reflects upon my words and appreciates their family and friends, as there are many people who are deprived from this blessing. Appreciate and thank God for all He has given you and realise the importance of family, and other activities like travelling and entertainment this plague has taught you. Sometimes we might think that life is very boring, but now we should realise how good actually the life which we used to call ‘boring’ was.

We should learn to appreciate life and value every small thing in it. We need to stop criticizing and realise that 2020 was not the year to do everything we wanted, but to appreciate all we have. As the world adjusts to the new normal with the introduction of the vaccine, we should change our viewpoint towards our life and understand the importance of everything that we were restricted from. Reflect on all the happenings since the pandemic started and be grateful for what you have!

Published in Dawn, Young World, May 1st, 2021