Are we really free?

 

Walking past the neighborhood and seeing the Tricolor fluttering on the neighbor’s balcony gave me goosebumps as it always does. The setting sun added a serene touch to the surrounding and my thoughts went back and forth struggling to find meaning to that sense of pride on being a free citizen, of living in an independent country.

I looked at myself, I looked at the people around me, masked, unmasked, mask on the nose, mask on the chin, mask in the pocket. I pulled my mask slightly up my chin and as I struggled to breathe, I wondered why I couldn’t choose between whether I needed a mask or not, and why did I have to wear it if I wasn’t comfortable in it? How would I infect someone when I was healthy?  I kept thinking, I kept walking!

My phone rang, the usual random status check on my vaccination from my employers. I answered and quickly disconnected the call. Since when my health status or choice became subject of public interest. I walked still trying to enjoy the evening breeze when my FB notification beeped to say a close friend had changed her profile pic. I looked up quickly and noted the ‘I am vaccinated’ frame! Well, her choice I thought but the call from my employer still seemed to irritate me. Am I not free to make my choice and why do I need to announce?

I walked! I bumped into my next-door neighbor and after the usual exchange of greetings, she told me how her family has been struggling to meet their ends. They are in the business of supplying school uniforms to schools and for months no school has bought anything nor have they cleared the previous payments. Oh no! All these businesses, all these livelihoods, will there be an opportunity for any damage control.  We parted ways and I walked on. Thinking!

Thinking…what kind of independent country keeps its children locked up in homes. Do we know the psychological impact and do we know if these children will be ever able to move around freely, play and enjoy the rights a child is supposed to have? Will today’s children grow up as ‘free’ when they are actually locked up in their homes in their growing up years?

 

I turned to come back home and dip my worries in a cup of tea when two cycles passed by me, two young girls riding, and their father slowly trying to keep pace with them as he ran slowly. These children and their father were unmasked. Well, I thought maybe we still have ‘hope’!