Today – One year ago.
There was a new virus named COVID-19 which was deadly.
Almost the whole world was in lockdown. No flights, no travels, no school, no eating out, no friends or relatives – just stay at home – alone, or, in the better case – with your family.
In my country – the lockdown was scheduled for a month, then was extended with one more month.
At the end of the first month of our lockdown, my mom wanted to have breakfast outside in our garden. It was a nice warm spring morning. My sister and I helped mom make breakfast. My sister and I made fruit salads from berries for everyone, while my mom made us crepes. We prepared the whole breakfast and all of us sat outside. We could hear the birds singing and feel the warmth of the sun and the soft wind. We have a cherry blossom in the garden and it had just blossomed. Our dog was playing outside in the garden and eating his treat. My mom asked us all a question, “Where do you imagine being right now?” I went first and answered, “I feel like I am in Singapore right now. The warmth that the sun gives and the soft breeze reminds of when we have breakfast or lunch in Singapore. While you are having breakfast you can feel the humidity and the nature surrounding you. Everytime we visit Singapore we eat the same breakfast, berries and crepes. Right now, this whole setting and the warmth sun gives you makes you feel like you are in Singapore.” Now it was my sister Carla’s turn. Where do you imagine yourself right now?” Mom asked. “I feel like I am in Shanghai. It is a nice warm day outside like it was when we were in the Yu garden, eating some fruits. Remember how there was a cherry blossom near us and everything was green. Birds were singing and you could feel and hear the wind. The only thing that’s different right now is that our backyard isn’t crowded. I really miss the crowd.” My sister said. My dad decided to share next and said, “ I feel like I am in Bali right now. All the trees and everything being really reminds me of the rice fields and the small gardens. Having breakfast in the small backyard of the hotel each morning, while you can hear the birds and feel the sun on your skin. The warm humid air with the light breeze. In Bali we could also hear the monkeys but here in Bulgaria we don’t have monkeys.” My mom replied, “I agree with all of you guys but the place where I imagine myself right now is in Japan. Having a nice early breakfast between the cherry blossoms with the sun shining brightly. Everything is green. There were squirrels and birds around the trees. When the wind blew you could see how gently the trees moved and the light sound of the wind. I really want to go back to Japan.”
These are some of our favorite places we’ve visited. Getting to experience different cultures and explore new countries is such a nice and wonderful feeling. My family and I really enjoy traveling. Throughout the year we travel a lot and the only way we were able to travel during the lockdown was with our imagination. It was very nice to hear where everyone imagined themselves. The environment really made you feel as you were on a vacation somewhere. Your imagination can really take you anywhere.
Now coming back to the present, I am currently on the other side of the world from where I was last year on this same day. Things around the world are starting to open and there is some life in the city. It isn’t as quiet as it was a month ago. People are starting to go back to work and kids to school. Slowly, life is going back to normal the way it used to be at least to some point. Quarantine taught me two very important things – that imagination can take you anywhere and that it can make you feel free. How about you?
