Musings of a confined mind: Covid-19 has brought out the humility in us

Mukasa Sirajeh Katantazi

Time check 3:03 p.m. Ordinarily I would be frantically trying to close the day’s business ensuring that email is returned, that report is sent and that assignment done.

But these are no ordinary days, we are in day 23 since the lockdown on account of Corvid 19(C19).

The one thing that a man can do with uninterrupted clarity during a lockdown or is that lockup is to think and reflect about the meaning of life. We are so caught up in the hustle to make a living that we forget to live.

Our worries are no longer about the latest car or phone or designer clothes. We care less about vacations and visiting exotic places.

Stocks and shares don’t matter as much as the capitalist economy has made them appear. We are more concerned about our next meal (and or yes, we can live without junk food) There is little or no food dumped on heaps.

And food is being prepared at home and shared as a family. I had never tasted jackfruit from the compound tree but have had three fruits picked from it already.

I used to buy jackfruit from the fruit seller at office. And oh, my this one at home is sweet alas sweeter.

The fights are now for spaces on the couches and for the TV remote.

We are concerned about not falling frontline victims of the disruptions that this pandemic brings and yes disruptive it has been.

We actually say proper hellos to our neighbours and genuinely ask about each other’s well being without pretending to be rushing off to our controlled worlds.

Kids wake up at 7:00 O’clock and parents ask them why they are up so early.

Kids are less entitled and willing to adjust because they’re not competing with richer kids. We have bonded more and read more books.

Maybe we needed a reality check to reassess our purpose on this transcendence called earth. Many of us have found or re-found our God and established or reestablished our relationship with Him.

We live simple lives without the intensity of keeping up appearances.

Less or no makeup, simple Tee shirts and jerseys sometimes unpressed.

Wrappers (lesu) are the new craze for the fashionista. I have wondered why I can’t have any foods being produced at my home.

Not even eggs or vegetables or milk despite have the space. These are but simple things that I (we)can do and I resolve to do, post corvid 19.

Life is meant to be simple and not sophisticated yet we seem never contented with its simplicity and create imagery illusions to aspire for.

In this mirage of the never-ending chase we lose ourselves.

In the end all that matters is our humanity or is that humaneness.

Myriads of musings to come but for now time check 3: 57p.m and it’s about time for my afternoon Prayers (Asr) so I say adios and vaya con dios until we meet again.

Stay home stay safe.

The author is a social critic.