Yes, I am scared
Scared of incremental deaths
Scared of people getting okay with deaths
Scared of inadvertently infecting a vulnerable
Scared of becoming the vulnerable
Scared of the fraying state of economies
Scared of people continuing to lose their livelihood and autonomy
Scared of mental and emotional toll
Scared of carrying on without a remedy scroll

Yes, I am brave
Brave to wear a mask
Brave to stay home when I can
Brave to understand that my reality isn’t my neighbors’ truth
Brave to comprehend that, them stepping out, isn’t for me to judge
Brave to face facts and stats
Brave to constructively contribute whenever and wherever I can
Brave to believe in disagreements
Brave to listen to others’ hesitations
Brave to realize that my rights don’t exist in vacuum
rather share space with my duties and others’ actions.

And, I am hopeful
Hopeful in believing that fear and faith can coexist
Hopeful that two different ideologies can persist
Hopeful that there can be a (happy) medium
Hopeful that one’s sense of living won’t be at the cost of others’ infringement
Hopeful that power will lie in tolerance and empathy
Hopeful that the world will not fall for apathy
Hopeful that “solidarity” and “togetherness” won’t be mere words
Rather in the face of this adversity, will help us to rise to the occasion.

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