46: It’s been a lonely year.

My name is Meena and I’ll be 78 years old in December 2021. In my life, I’ve seen many things and many changes but 2020 was a time when I felt completely isolated.

All my life I’ve been blessed with the company of people. I enjoy meeting new people and sharing simple conversations. 2020 was very difficult for me since I was pretty much alone with just a few of my help and no one really to meet in person. I felt really like I was locked up, not just in lockdown.

I lost 8 cousins this year, some of who were very close to me. One of my closest cousins, who was more of a sister to me passed away in the house that I lived in, with her. Not all of them passed because of the virus, but I could not visit them any of them before their funerals, and that made me very sad. Many others I knew passed away because of Corona. I miss them very much.

As I sat at home during this time, everything that I saw on TV was about Corona. This added to my depression. Around me, my maids and help were depressed too because they could not go home. At some point, I even forgot to smile. And I usually smile a lot.

At this time, some good things happened as well. I connected to my long lost childhood friend Rama and found out that she had been searching for me too! We now talk every day for at least an hour. My son and daughter-in-law who were in Singapore came back to settle in India, so they are closer. Others in my immediate family are well.

It has been a lonely year, but I’m hopeful that this will pass in 2021 and I’ll be able to travel more and meet old and new friends and family. I wish you all the very best in 2021.