April is one of my favorite months since we celebrate my father’s birth on 1st April. As a banker, I looked forward to a relaxed April month after a grueling financial year-end in March. For the last three years, April represented the A2Z challenge daily blogging for me. But this year, I bowed out of the event in the last week of March after realizing that editing 1 lakh plus words of my second novel would require longer time, dedicated efforts, and undivided attention.
I began the first round of editing by March third week. I finished the third round of editing in the wee hours of the morning today. It is a hard-earned day off for me after twenty-six days of working at a stretch. I’ll go back to the final round of manuscript editing tomorrow before mailing it to my literary agent.
On the personal front, we celebrated Baba’s birthday together. Last year, the sudden lockdown stranded him at Berhampore, while we stayed in Kolkata. My son started his second year of online classes on 12th April. Who would’ve thought that a year later, we would still be fighting the second Corona wave? The situation is worsening every day as election rallies get precedence over the need for social distancing. It’s painful to see kids adjust to yet another year of no friends, no classrooms, and no playground. Never did I imagine that a new uniform that was to bring joy to a class 1 kid wasn’t going to get dirty with pencil marks, crayon colors, and shared tiffin for another year.
We had one year to prepare for another pandemic. Instead of strengthening the healthcare sector, people in power spent money on election rallies, religious institutions, and statues. Now that people are dying due to an acute shortage of beds/oxygen cylinders/vaccines, will those who justified the expenditure on unnecessary structures take their families to such places instead of a hospital? My husband and his colleagues in the medical fraternity are back to war mode. And their families are back to where we were last year.
People in power have failed us, but it is the indomitable spirit of the common people that gives me hope. Yesterday, a bunch of us collated lists and reached out to authorities seeking help on Twitter. We aren’t giving up so easily. However, now that we know we are on our own, please wear a mask (or a double mask, if needed) and maintain social distancing protocols.
I’ll be back next month with the next update on Raya Ray’s second case. Until then, stay safe, and stay at home.
soniasmusings 
It’s a time where ordinary citizens need to voice up.. not just in your country but others as well, I opine. 🙏🏻💕🙏🏻
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I second you!
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Dear Sonia,
Sending love and strength and the best of health, physical and mental both, to you, your brave husband, and your little son. This post was very moving to me, especially what you wrote about how you miss the days of school uniforms getting dirty from a day’s work, play, and tiffin; how misdirected priorities have led to a return of the lockdowns and a massive new surge; and most of all, what you said at the end about knowing that you are on your own. Another friend of mind in the subcontinent said the same thing on WhatsApp yesterday. That is so sad. On a happier note, Congratulations on all that editing! You are making the most of this time with your writing.
Please take care. J
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Thank you so much for such lively words. They assure me of moving in the right direction.
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Sending you more strength.
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