A friend of mine called and in a moment of weakness shared how scared he was. About his health. His family’s health. Jobs. Economy. Kanika Kapoor singing songs all over town.
Not a deer in the middle of the road caught between lights but a deer lying flat on the road, repeatedly hit with more lights coming around the corner.
I don't like him much, but he is rich. So I will help him out as I prepare for the post apocalyptic world.
Ok, I don't blame him. The narrative around the Covid 19 outbreak is negative, depressing and scary enough that if the virus does not get you, the worry will.
I am not a doctor. I am not a scientist. I am definitely not a religious nutcase who knows everything there is to know about everything.
I am just a writer from India who you probably have not heard about. In my own moment of weakness a couple of years ago, I even hashtaged that fact (#thatwriterfromindia) to be memorable, hoping it goes viral. Scratch that. Hoping it is catchy enough to be remembered.
Over all the drafts of my books, I have written and rewritten over a million words. How much are a million words? If you line up a million words in Calibri 12 end to end – you can circumnavigate the earth thrice and can even add a detour to Paris for the hotel rates are low now, and travel is practically free.
What I am saying is I know this shit around narratives. How fear strikes when you say the death toll from coronavirus has risen to 100 in a day. Rise. Death. One Day. Deliberate, manipulative words. Manipulative enough to hide the fact that the toll was 97 yesterday.
Fear sells. Fear sells like nothing else in the world. Unfortunately, fear kills too. It eats humans from inside. An asymptomatic thing that changes you – first physiologically and then physically.
Are there forces at play peddling negative stories?
Let me make it clear as I have already self declared that I am not a nutcase.
I don’t see a worldwide conspiracy led by a secret society that sprays pangolin blood on platinum members. I don’t see a nation state behind it. I don’t see bio terrorism or evil executives minting billions out of this tragedy.
All I see is shit has happened. Soup was consumed. It got out of control. There were consequences. Now we deal with it. Now we fight back. But we fight back with a smile.
Sure, fear is good for it has made everyone take notice and be serious. We are washing hands to the bone now. We are afraid to touch our faces. But the fear needs to be balanced by positivity and hope. More light has to be thrown on how we are taking this beast on, and winning. It will take time.
I have started a facebook page and a blog called unmasked smiles to try that. It is after all the novel - corona virus and I am a novelist. How I wish what has happened to the world is fiction. How I wish Vaishali was open today.
Facebook Page:- https://www.facebook.com/unmaskedsmiles/
I am going to share positive stories about how we as humans are fighting back this nasty little thing that has made us scurry behind masks and hazmat suits.
This page will only include positive stories around the outbreak. On the efforts to find a cure as well as preventive vaccines. Links to books, songs and videos that will help you rise to the occasion and not be that friend of mine depressed and without hope. Dogs. Yeah, this page will have dogs who are the happiest folks in the world right now to see everyone home. It will have inspirational stories. It will have stories of success in our scientific efforts. On the tireless doctors and nurses and paramedics who are true superheroes.
Make no doubt about it. We are going to be win this one. The human race maybe selfish, indulgent, trigger happy idiots most of the time– but when we are pushed to the wall – Boy oh boy – do the best amongst us step up. We dig in. We stop the advance of the enemy. We then push back.
Sure we were on the edge, but there was a smile behind our masks. Then we win.
Hope you feel better after visiting this page. It is a matter of time. Hang in there from a clean disinfected surface. Be positive and not corona positive. Wash your hands. Welcome to more of the good stuff, less of the bad.
- Gaurav Parab
#thatwriterfromindia
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