Sehar tells us about the five lessons that lockdown taught her. An exclusive for Different Truths.  

When my boss asked us about the top five lessons we learnt from the lockdown, I thought there was no better way to share the lessons I learnt in this 1 month of lockdown but through photographs.

The lockdown began with – facing new challenges, learning new lessons and learning to take each day as it comes.

“To collect photographs is to collect the world,” stated Susan Sontag.

While we learnt the art of photography in college, reading about Susan Sontag and her work made me fall in love with photographs in a whole new way.

While we learnt the art of photography in college, reading about Susan Sontag and her work made me fall in love with photographs in a whole new way. I have never been an amazing photographer, but clicking, keeping and preserving photographs have always been a source of happiness for me.

While I sat down to think about what I should write for this week, I was browsing through my picture gallery and that’s when I chose to do a photostory. These pictures carry stories, lessons, experiences and challenges.

Each a memory, each a lesson, each a story that I shall carry with me forever.

The lockdown brought with it a new beginning. Life changed 180 degrees though we weren’t prepared for it, but isn’t that what life is?

The lockdown brought with it a new beginning. Life changed 180 degrees though we weren’t prepared for it, but isn’t that what life is?

Lesson No. 1: I learnt that in life there will be phases where you decide to make a new beginning and there will be phases when life pulls you to a new beginning. So be ready and be strong!

A new phase of life dawned upon humanity that restricted them, where we ready to stay indoors all the time? No one knows yet when this will end, yes the fear gripped each one of us.

Lesson No. 2: Mental and physical health go hand in hand – saying ‘no’ to compromises and ‘yes’ to sweating it out.

Staying indoors wasn’t something we had learnt to do yet, what could we do with all the time we had now?

Staying indoors wasn’t something we had learnt to do yet, what could we do with all the time we had now?

Lesson No. 3: Angry, sad, depressed, lost – your prayer mat is your best friend. Find the Noor (light) within and it will expel all darkness.

Self-quarantine, self-isolation were words that did the rounds over social media, was it actually that easy to click a picture of you smiling and post it?

Lesson No. 4: I learnt that isolation didn’t necessarily mean to be alone, it meant a chance! A chance to be more with yourself – your inner being than the world outside.

A chance to be more with yourself – your inner being than the world outside.

The days were the same, the nights were the same – but there was something that had changed – what was it?

Lesson No. 5: Last but not the least, I learnt that with each sunrise a new days awaits you – to embrace you in a warm hug with new lessons, new challenges and a bundle of new experiences.

I learnt that with each sunrise a new days awaits you – to embrace you in a warm hug with new lessons, new challenges and a bundle of new experiences.

PS: Mornings became my favourite thing!

To all those who have read my columns every week and those who are reading this column, the lockdown is not a normal phase of our life, yet it has brought with it zillions of opportunities for us to unlearn our bad habits, relearn our hobbies and learn a few more lessons in the chapter called life!

To new beginnings, brighter days and happy humans!

Cheers to life!

Photos by the author