Life and learning in the times of Corona

We have survived nearly 5 months of a lock-down courtesy Covid 19. The administration is doing all it can to keep citizens safe. Many have walked thousands of kilometers to get home from their work places. Normal life has taken a back seat. We are all at home. And then there are the divergent few who will take the 'road less traveled', proclaim that they cannot be touched by Corona and then go on to infect more around them. How can people be so bigoted, narrow-minded and fool-hardy that they have no consideration for others in their own community? They make life uncomfortable for their own brethren and widen the gap further between communities. Then they will proclaim that they are being targeted - classic case of self-propagated paranoia. But what have we as citizens of this world learnt from this ongoing crisis: - We can survive within the safe environs of our homes, for starters. So lets make our home beautiful both spiritually and physically. - Citizens are volunteering to help in times of need. - People are finding new ways of keeping themselves gainfully engaged. There are many online courses to enroll for. More time for hobbies to indulge in. Spending time with family doesn't count much as most youth remain glued to their mobiles. - The youth of this decade is getting a taste of life in the 50s, 60s and 70s. The only difference is that we now have the internet to keep us connected. Between the 50s - 70s, it was the humble radio. - We are learning to work from home. - Crisis can hit us at anytime. We must be prepared for future such pandemics. There may not be any wars but pandemics. - Many jobs are at stake. Specially the BPO industry as many European countries lock-down for 6 months, like Australia.Economy is taking a back seat.

Mother-in-law lives in Mumbai with widowed daughter-in-law. Father-in-law walked off from Mumbai after eldest son's death, to his home in Dehradun where is youngest widowed daughter-in-law lives with her two small children. He then went to his ancestral home district Bhabhua. There is a property dispute and a dowry case against the two of them in Dehradun. 

Then he came to Lucknow to his only surviving middle son, after he told the son that his nephew Vishnu  ill-treated him. From Lucknow he would visit Mumbai and stay with his so-called adopted daughter, meet his wife and after a few months would complain about the food etc & return to Lucknow. In Lucknow he would throw tantrums about not eating breakfast & lunch. Would bad-mouth about his son to the neighbours about his stay in Lucknow and has even gone to the extent of drafting a complaint to the DM about how his life is hell here (LKO)and that he should be sent to Mumbai. For two years he has gone back and forth from Lucknow - Mumbai -Lucknow. But he bad-mouths his son everywhere and other relatives too. 

The only people he never says a word against are his wife and eldest daughter-in-law, who are refusing to keep him but want his pension. They call making excuses that the mother is dying and they need money. All of this upsets our home environment. Every time they talk on the phone, he begs her to let him visit and she refuses. He then throws tantrums in Lucknow, like not eating food-Breakfast & lunch & in the evening he will behave as if he did not do anything. He also has a dirty eye. He always comments on women's figures and complexion. He has gone to the extent of telling me that I have a good figure(gesturing with hands) and that I looks good in saris. He delights in talking to the maids and bad-mouthing his only son and daughter-in-law. If he meets anyone from outside the house and he starats talking about  how he sold milk to educate his children.

He tries to show that he is in great misery when that is not true. He live in a room with attached bathroom. All meals are served on time. He wants to go to Mumbai to his wife but she refuses to keep him. His negative behavior creates friction within the home and is upsetting his son and daughter-in-law as he dleights in irritating his son by throwing tantrums and then saying that he never does anything and its his son's imagination. His patent statements are" Maine kya kiya?", Maine toh badiyan se rahta hoon." and "Tum aisa soochte ho." He and his wife can sort their issues on their own. We don't want to be dragged into their nonsense