I would be lying if I said I was not afraid when the pandemic first started, back in March. I was terrified. But I have found comfort in knowing that this is only temporary.
Before the lockdown began, my life in Dubai was an amalgamation of morning walks at the beach, iced coffee from Costa and evening bicycle rides. Initially, I felt confined. I could no longer engage in the activities that I looked forward to the most. One would think that being an introvert would make staying at home easy, but it doesn’t. The thirst to meet up with my friends is insurmountable. I lost the agency I once had over my life. It took some time, but I built a routine to help me stay grounded. I keep up with the news, but I don’t let it get to me. Life is full of suspended moments like these.
The weather is changing, as it always does, and we are no longer in the same world that we were in two months ago. I have come to realize that it is during uncertain times like these that I need to find a balance within myself and learn to cope. Like a tree, I am doing my best to stay rooted to the ground that holds me despite the accompanying chaos. My branches are strong and vast, and my leaves are dense. I am trying to stay put where I am, growing and altering myself to adapt to the new seasons, turning into an evergreen.