Our corona diary.

[Text and photo by Mehvish Shaikh]

I close my eyes in my self-isolation from corona… and I see my younger self. I see a timid teenager whiling her time away in studies in a dingy loft of a rented room that is her study corner. Everything ‘social’ emanates fear in her. Even social networking! The college-self zooms past and with it, I open my eyes.

It’s March 2020. I find the entire world sitting like my child-self in self-imposed isolation. It feels as though they all are trying to comfort the child-me for her forlorn past. She is no longer alone. Now she finds social media as the most powerful medium to connect, feel, be, understand and survive our challenging times! She is no longer disconnected from the world as before. The world is at her fingertips and millions of people exist there with their stories and struggles to give her company, in these times of RIOTS, DEATHS, PROTESTS and CORONAS!

“We the Isolationists” series urges folks from any part of the world to share a brief diary starting with “I close my eyes in my self-isolation from Corona… and I see…” Not more than 100 words. With a horizontal-sized selfie, along with your city name… please mail to me at mayankaustensoofi@gmail.com.