Finding peace through pūjā rituals

It is 2020 and we never thought that something like this would happen in our time. We have combated smallpox and to a large extent, polio. We have seen outbreaks before but the most recent pandemic before this was swine flu, and that did not seem to affect us to the same extent as the current Coronavirus pandemic.

As a medical student, I have been able to see Coronavirus progress from a different perspective to most. Whilst I am not yet a doctor, I have some insight on how it has affected the inner workings and running of hospitals, but I still remain somewhat in the dark, like everyone else. So far I have seen our teaching and clinical placements being cancelled as doctors are redirected to cope with the outbreak. I have seen patients being sent home, surgeries being cancelled and wards being emptied in anticipation of a sudden influx of patients.

We have spent years in school and university learning as much as we can so that one day we are in a position to help people, but at times like these, it is easy to feel helpless in a sea of uncertainty. Amidst all the fear, a group of colleagues have been setting up groups to assist hospital workers with child care support, so they can go into work whilst schools are closed.

Several other colleagues are volunteering in hospitals to ease the burden in other departments.

Within my household, most of us work in the healthcare setting. Every day my father in particular, sees the system struggling to cope with this growing pandemic and puts everything he can into ensuring his patients’ safety. With these pressures and struggles, it is the daily pūjā rituals we do at home, that help him find peace and perspective during this time.

My upbringing has extensively taught me about giving to others, and whilst it is important to look after ourselves and our family, we should try not to forget about how this pandemic is affecting others. During all of this uncertainty, we must focus on the things that are in our control, like washing our hands and social isolation. These alone can help others indirectly by preventing the spread of the virus. By focusing on the things within our control, we can find inner peace.