Dear Yuri,
It’s a spring night in Pakistan, as I sit in my courtyard, admiring the dark sky freckled with bright stars. I have spent most of my teenage and all of my early 20s in dorms across Pakistan, and no matter how much the townsfolk belittle the city, this sight makes up for all the inadequacies. I wonder if these constellations envied Earth for all the hustle and bustle it has had for centuries, or they have finally given an evil eye to the human abode.
Before I can plunge deeper into the vision, the nocturnal creatures in my neighbourhood yank me back into the present with all the hooting and howling.
I haven’t left my home in over 30 days, except for once, when I had to put my facial hair in tune and couldn’t find a single barber in the entire town. From a fitness-freak who walked over 10, 000 steps a day to barely getting out of bed, these four weeks couldn’t get any scarier. The isolation has drained me of the energy even to be digitally connected with my friends and colleagues. I often find myself avoiding calls, ignoring messages, and leaving no stone unturned to shun human interaction.
As you watch us from above the clouds, I have a question to ask.
Could you ever imagine, even in your wildest dreams, that a pandemic will bring the entire world to a halt? The world so preoccupied that it whooshes by those who take a moment to catch a breath.
Because if you can’t, I have got stories for you!