YOUR STORIES… OUR STORIES… I am loving the ‘New Normal

YOUR STORIES… OUR STORIES…

Our last two features in this newly introduced section were received with great appreciation. This time, we bring to you three more perspectives from fellow LTTSites on different life experiences. We hope you like these as much as we do.

Keep sending us your entries for this section of the September edition of TS TiMES at

Aniruddha.Basu@LTTS.com and Sheetal.Ishwalkar@LTTS.com

I am loving the ‘New Normal’!

Rwik Mukhopadhyay, Tech Lead, Bangalore, India

I have a balcony garden of which both me and wife are passionate about. We have spent numerous hours in finding ways and means of setting it up and maintaining it and despite our best efforts have been failing at it miserably for years now.

But this year is different. We have seen surprises almost on all fronts in 2020 - and most of them have been negative. As far as our balcony garden is concerned, we did see a surprise there too, only difference being that it was positive! Despite the fact that we could not care as much about our garden this year as we would have liked, our plants, not only survived, they are blooming with flowers and new leaves. I don’t know the reason, it could be less pollution or maybe it was just too much of care that was making them weak… whatever it was, I am happy about the results.

Rwik Mukhopadhyay used the lockdown to sight and click pictures of avians spotted outside the window

Another welcome change that I saw this year was that, the balcony, which was usually always a shelter for pigeons and crows, is suddenly now being visited by Sunbirds. I haven’t seen any other bird in our balcony in last 5 years except crows and pigeons. I also never expected to take a picture of this guy from home. Even in the jungle, it is difficult for amateurs to get a clear shot of this majestic bird.

The last few months were tough on all of us. Mass anxiety touched everyone's life. Every day, my morning started by checking the number of patients around our neighborhood. And the situation was so bad, anything below 50 was a happy number. But then, as they say, nights are darkest just before dawn. After the initial few days, I discovered that we were living a much healthier life. I haven’t had any outside food since March. The annual health check stats for my entire family were better as compared to the past years.

And then, just when I thought I have seen everything in 2020, I spotted a few more beauties of nature in my neighborhood. I have focused my mind on looking at the positives of this “New Normal” and I am loving it! I hope and wish that you all, too, have find a few positive anchors in these uncertain times. Here’s hoping this year brings out many more pleasant surprises for all of us.

When simple joys become hard to come by…

Aruna Ranganathan, CSR, Mumbai, India

My husband and I are dedicated runners – we have completed many half-marathons - and are so used to our regular morning walks that it has become a second nature to us.

However, the lockdown brought about restrictions, and we did not move out of the house for almost three months (mid-March to mid-June), as we imparted our social and civic responsibility.

When the lockdown was relaxed, gradually, we ventured out for a walk observing the social distancing guidelines. We started with weekends. The experience was no less than the feeling of a caged bird being released.

Only during the lockdown, did we value the importance of walking, as it helps in reducing stress and relaxing our mind and bodies. Generally, walking is such an easy exercise, that at times it is even taken for granted!!!

This is an important lesson that I have learnt during this pandemic, no joy is too small to take it for granted, and no sorrow is too big to carry it forever.

Have a nice time, stay safe, and stay healthy.

Enjoying the morning walk on empty roads.