Online Friendship Day

 How long..and How much? 

As I wrapped up today after sharing a video of beautiful memories of me with my friends.. and saw so many social media pictures of people having friendship day in-person parties - my heart was filled with so many emotions. 

When I saw my 10 yr old smiling at her bestie on yet another video chat..trying to play a game of Roblox with both her Masi and BFF..without much success.. I felt even more sad...

When I wiped tears from her big black eyes on her belated birthday celebration also being cancelled .... I just couldn't control my own..

At one time when she used to sit with me making friendship bands and then go buy small friendship day accessories for me, her dad and her friends.. And now - she didn't even ask again if she could go buy stuff... She knew she wasn't going to meet her friends anyways....

All this because of - NO - NOT just the Pandemic! But because of "FOOLS" who refuse to wear their MASKS properly while not alone. These so called liberated people are everywhere.. The bhajiwala, the lawyer at the vadapav stall, the courier pickup guy, the security guard, and the classic sneezer who will forget to use their elbow to cover sneeze but will definitely remember to take his mask DOWN to sneeze - just so that their mask is not infected with their germs..... 

Kis kis ko rokoge..Kis kisko bologe!?? And then the cops do their duties politely by cutting chalans for families who sleep in the same room and are driving in the same car but their masks are down - 'cos god forbid - 1 ko covid hua to!! ???

It breaks my heart to tell N not to go down to play because - even if society doesn't have those many cases - but overall the cases are on the rise again. 

But poor thing she hardly complains. She gets busy with her barbies or roblox or books or singing.. And these days loads of studies. I sometimes feel I want to let her be FREE! 

Free of Masks

Free of Online Routine

Free of Online Studies/Classes

Free of almost zero non-academic gadget time

Free of all the agony that a developing child is going through because of those padhelikhe-ganwar (educated illiterates) FOOLS. Because of people like you - Children are stuck in their online lives more than required. And precious moments of their childhood are getting wasted....These moments will never come back.. cos they will never be the same again! These children don't deserve to sit in front of screens and study their chapters or laugh with their friends... They deserve to play in the open and have savouries with friends without the nagging fear of infecting their parents. 😢

The only solace she had today, before she sat down to do her Math again..was to send her belated-birthday return gifts to her besties. A collage of their pix smiling and shining on the fridge - reminded her of the good times and sweet memories she once created. And she smiled. A smile that hid the pain of not being able to be with her friends.. have fun with them...making new memories with them!  

I just pray that these children are free from this pain soon. 🙏

-Mom.Reflections