As I read through my colleague's email today, I noticed a difference. In place of the usual 'Thanks and Regards', he wrote 'Stay Safe'. And I thought to myself, how thoughtful of him to do this! These little things matter. Atleast to me.
But is it really easy for everybody? It is definitely a no brainer for me to sit back at home and hope the chain is broken soon. What about them who wish to break the chains in their own homes itself? The child who is a victim of abuse from her step mother and on usual days, returns home only when the rage has gone to sleep. The wife who silently screams in pain every night because of domestic violence and cannot afford to step out and spend the night at her friend's place. The family who started practicing emotional distancing way before it was necessary and live like the cast of a movie with little to no dialogue.
To think about more scenarios, pierces my heart and it hurts. In spite of being far away from these brutal realities. While I think about them, my memory goes back to the time I read one of my favourite books - Not Without My Daughter by Betty Mahmoody. The protagonist is lured by her husband to visit his family place with their daughter and are never allowed to step out of his home for eternity. The plot is based on her rigorous efforts to untie the knots by her husband and his family and escape the horrific premise with her daughter safely.
Can you imagine how many people feel like her in the recent times? It is beyond anyone's imagination I believe. You don't have to imagine. You can do the bare minimum: Enjoy the privilege you possess of staying at home. The more you do this, the more you increase their chance of nearing freedom. The kind of freedom most of us won't experience, because of the absence of a cage in our lives.
Comments