As we enter the last lap

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As we enter the last lap

Sunday, 01 November 2020 | Pramod Pathak

As we enter the last lap

Living with Coronavirus has been a part of our life for months now and despite many proposed solutions, the question how to deal with the pandemic still remains unanswered. But one thing that we all must realise is that this is certainly going to come to an end. And probably in the next few months. It is this hope that has to be nursed even if reports suggest that there is a second surge or a third surge or whatever. Yes, we have all reached the end of the tether and this is a worrisome trend. Already we are witnessing desperate steps being taken by many as anxieties are taking their toll on reason. Even the slightest trigger leads to explosion in many cases. What we need to remember is that though our patience is wearing out, that is the one thing we need today to survive in these difficult times. Even if our mind is getting wayward, there is need to exercise maximum patience. Mind is the issue and we have to tame the mind. Our predicament is like that of a long distance runner into his last lap. It is this last lap that creates maximum anxiety and coping with this anxiety is the most important requirement in order to win. If we let our patience wear out in the last lap and commit blunder out of sheer frustration, we stand to lose. This is what is happening. Out of sheer desperation, people are throwing all caution to winds. It has to be understood that maximum caution is needed in this last lap. The lifestyle disruption that stretched rather long has now reached the brink. While the festive season tempts us to venture out, the last round calls for extreme caution. The mantra, then should be to celebrate with care in the present times. As roads and streets are getting overcrowded, social distancing has gone for a toss. People are coming out in droves and masks seem to be a forgotten habit. This may prove dear. The protocols that we were following in the earlier days of the pandemic still need to be followed, rather, more so. Complacence may be dangerous. It is going to be a test of human patience. This patience comes from faith. Faith that we shall survive. It seems as if people are losing faith and embracing recklessness. It is not just a question of one’s own life. It is putting life of others to jeopardy. The fight against coronavirus is a war of attrition and more than strategy, the resilience is needed. The battle can be won by default, that is to hang around doggedly. True, the present generation did not experience a situation like this, but that is no reason for not acquiring mental toughness. Our lifestyle changed drastically in the last few decades. As we outsourced everything, our metamorphosis from human beings to couch potatoes of television era to mouse potatoes of computer era and then to slouch potatoes of the social media is complete. A large section of humanity has forgotten the basic problem solving skills, the thinking mind has become a vestige. Even small problems appear big. It is time to reinvent, rather rediscover human potential and practice the art of hanging around in crisis. Patience in the wake of adversity is the best solution. Staying on the wicket was what good cricketers adopted when chips were down. Life, after all, is a test match, not a T-20. So play defensively, on the backfoot.

Pathak is a professor of management, writer, and an acclaimed public speaker. He can be reached at ppathak.ism@gmail.com

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