Have you been wondering how the table has turned this time? Have we all think how life has changed because of what is happening? And have we hoped that things may changed again, and the table will turn the way it is?
Because if I will be the one asked by this, my answer will be YES.
Ever since, we define positive as positive, and negative to be always negative. That was the basic knowledge we have. Was. Because right now, we cannot deny the fact that the new positive is negative. That what ever we wanted to hear from someone is, "It is negative". "The result is negative." "Thank God, I am not positive."
Bet me, I know you all know what I am talking about.
Covid 19. Scary. Unreal. Yet happening.
It was around March 2020 that time. We are at the office having our duty when a news blew up that we need to wear mask inside the premises of the building. Like what? We do not have any positive cases yet here in Cebu that time especially not in our company. I might not deny, I am really not a fan of wearing masks as it is really difficult for me to breath if I have one on.
However, cases that time was slowly uprising. From one lady that was confined in one of the biggest hospital here, to another one, and another one. It never came to my mind that I will be experiencing such pandemic. I am not expecting that what I saw on movies will really became a reality, that I will be a part of these trying times. That I will be the one seeing some people experienced such virus. It was scary.
Because of the uprising number of cases, we at the office every time we are going to log in we need to bring our own alcohol and wet wipes before holding and touching anything inside. We tend to clean the area that was used by the other agents before our shift. Spraying of alcohol and wiping of the area has been the routine everyday. Safety protocols has been implemented. Shake hands and hugging once we see our friends at the office has been prohibited. Social distancing was called on. One seat apart from station one from the other has been made. It was chaotic. It was unreal. We all seem to be paranoid. No, we really became paranoid. The fear of getting the virus made us feel that way. Who would not?
We thought that implementing safety protocols would help the cases to lower down. We are wrong. Cases kept on getting high, and people kept on feeling the fear we thought we will not feel. And with that, 80% of the population from our company was advised to work from home. And I was included.
I really do not know what to feel that time. I am alone at my boarding house and I cannot go home to our province as we do not have a good signal reception that can support my work.
I was left dumb founded. I cannot stand alone especially in these trying times. I am independent, but times like this, I doubt I can.
With that said, I have no choice but to stay at my own boarding house alone. It was hard. The call from my family and friends has never been enough. I am afraid everytime I am going out to get my essentials. It became the hardest when the whole local government unit conducted the lockdown. People were hoarding. Transportation were stopped. Stores were closed. You cannot see anybody walking down the street. It was like a mess in silence. It was stressful. It was depressing.
My mom keeps on calling me if I was okay. If I was negative. If I am not feeling anything. That I need to keep on being negative with this virus.
It may sound so funny. That instead of us getting positive because of what is happening, we chose to keep in mind that we need to stay negative with this disturbing virus. The negative has become positive. But we have no choice but to accept and get used of the changes that we are having. With that said, the "New Normal."
And right, people seems to be getting used to it. Like we have no choice to continue living. That was the last resort we have. That was the only choice we have. To continue being negative, but positive that everything will get back to where and how it used to be. What's happening may be changing all the things we used to do, but still we need to keep the hope we used to have. We need to be more aware. We need to keep being negative. Keeping on getting negative, will help us get back to real definition of what positive means. Will look forward on that time.
-MissJo 💜
** photo from Google
