Do you know how it feels like to watch your loved one die….?

Most times, it doesn't just happen at the snap of a finger.

You watch life and consciousness slowly disappearing from the body.

You watch the effort to gasp for air.

You watch that disturbing, unrhythmic rise and fall of the chest.

You watch medical officers putting the ventilator on.

I’d seen that struggle. I saw how his face cringed. I watched how hard he tried to breathe.

I watched, I prayed, I hope.

For me, that was the end. The ventilator did not help. I lost Him forever.

For you or your loved ones- I hope it will and you’ll have a survivor’s story to talk about.

These scenes remain in my psyche. They still send shivers down my spine. The words of his battle with illness still ring in my ear: “if only this cough stops. This cough is killing me. If only I could just get some sleep. If only I could BREATHE.”

Any illness that requires the support of a ventilator or any more advanced health care system is life-threatening.

In my remaining lifetime, I just hope I’ll never have to watch scenes like that again.

No one wants to suffer nor watch their loved ones suffer.

Do you? What kind of animal are you?

If you think having your movements bounded is difficult and uneasy, 

just imagine having your BREATH RESTRICTED. Relentlessly.

This shouldn’t be difficult for any living beings to imagine, at all. 

Your breath that is your birthright, suddenly taken from your will and quite literally- right under your nose.

And that is exactly what COVID-19 does.

Maybe, just maybe- you are nonchalant about the end of your life or maybe you are confident and just don't see it coming for you.

But here is also a cruel truth in reality- there are many who are still trying to figure out life whether through joy or suffering and there were also many, many more who lose their life prematurely, for whatever reasons.

So, the least you could do as the living- is to live it, responsibly.

Especially at a time like this.

I really cannot comprehend why would anyone still think this is not severe enough for actions and I am through trying to figure it out too.

So, here are some thoughts:

For the younger:

News and updates of COVID-19 are all over the internet. It is probably impossible to miss. Read from trusted sources and heed their advice. HELP YOUR ELDERS UNDERSTAND if they couldn't comprehend.

Be patient in explaining. If talking doesn't work, try again with graphics, statistics and videos.

IF YOU AS THE FUTURE GENERATION couldn't even comprehend the seriousness of the entire situation, that is it- I don't know what went wrong. Our education system? Our language system? Our genetics?

Please don't reproduce.

For the Elders:

I know you are not that outdated. (I am pretty sure my mom is much savvier on Facebook than I do. haha). Yes, there is a lot of fake news out there too. So, beware. Only trust news from verified, official sources.

There is a possibility that you might have friends among your generation that is a little…. stubborn. They had life tough and probably became fearless (and lawless..haha). 

If by any chance, you know a friend as such and you happened to luckily be more adequately in the light- please help them.

Social-distancing is not just about self, it is about others too.

Life is hard, but there is no hard, if there is no life, first.

PEOPLE- JUST STAY HOME.

OLD OR YOUNG.

Royal or peasant.

Educated or illiterate.

Whatever color you are (white, black, brown, yellow, purple or blue) and whatever religion you claim to worship:

VIRUS DON'T DISCRIMINATE.

By the end of this whole pandemic (We all hope, SOON), those of us who are not PERSONALLY affected with immediate life-threatening effects will just live with the memories of the events; but for those who had lost loved ones- they will be living with the loss and grief, permanently, for the rest of their life.

So, please be compassionate, sensible & humane. It is evident that this is a fight for all humans.

It is Human vs virus.