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"Life Interrupted"

In early 2020 when news broke out about a mysterious virus that had hit Wuhan in China, the rest of the world were shocked but didn't really take much notice. Reports on the unknown virus began to spread all around the globe daily and still, the rest of us went about our own lives thinking that folks in Wuhan would somehow figure out a way to combat the issue and things will go back to normal. What we did not see coming was the severity of the virus. 

Next thing we know, the entire world was ravaged by a virus which doesn't have opinions or ulterior motives. A virus which doesn't care what colour your skin is, what religion you belong to, what faith you believe in, how rich or poor you are, where you live, what your nationality or race is, it just doesn't give a damn. It's like a silent predator lurking around the corner waiting for its prey. It caused quite a hoopla making people scamperring to find means and ways to fight this unknown beast. 

As a result, drastic measures had to be taken as hospitals and mortuaries began to get unexpected attendance. Scientists and doctors wracked their brains to come up with a quick "fix" to the existing problem. While in the process of making that happen, other measures were taken. Lockdown. Mask. Social distancing. All of a sudden, all of us lost our freedom. Imprisoned by a deadly virus. 

Here in Malaysia, the situation has not been pretty. Even though the vaccination program has been and is still going on strong, there are other issues to deal with. For example, people in the entertainment industry - musicians, singers, actors, filmmakers, DJs have not been able to work since March 2020 as all entertainment outlets are not allowed to open and film production has also been stopped completely. Aside from the entertainment industry, a lot of other businesses had to close shop, resulting in an overload of unemployment. Just because all these issues are present due to the virus, does that mean that time stops? No. Time keeps moving and the sun still rises in the morning. But bills still need to be paid, house rents, car loans, banks loans still need to be settled. And people still need food to eat. How to do all of the above without an income and when you have tapped out all of your savings? Where do you go when all roads lead nowhere? When every right turn has been the wrong turn and there don't appear to be any more forks in the road? When roads less traveled seem too difficult and you don't know if you can handle even one more dead end?

For those who have very strong support system in their corner, those who hold strong to their faith, those who choose to look for light in a very dark situation, will somehow find a way to stay strong to ride it out without losing their sanity. However, not everyone is that strong or fortunate. Domestic violence, divorce, and suicide rate have been climbing up the charts in a very alarming way. This sort of thing has never happened before in Malaysian history but today these are among the news that makes the headlines in our local newspapers. It is sad to read how a mother can hang her two kids before hanging herself to death. Or a father who hangs himself in front of his kids. Or a young mother of a seven month old baby jumps off the roof of her 14-storey apartment building. Or a depressed husband hangs himself in a public park. Covid did not just come with the deadly virus, it came with a whole load of other baggages as well. But whether we like it or not, it is here, and by the looks of it, it's not going away anytime soon. So what do we do in the meantime? How do we go on when there isn't much to go on with? 

I've read reports in the newspapers where families were forced to leave their homes because they are not able to pay rent. I've also read reports where families were forced to rummage through dumpsters to find food to stay alive. I know some people who have been living on plain white rice and sprinkled salt. Like I mentioned earlier, it hasn't been pretty over here in Malaysia. Yes, we do have some good Samaritans who took the initiative to start a food drive here and there, using their own money to buy the goods with the intention to help those in need. But when they themselves have no income coming in, how long can they go on helping those in need? Sadly, most of the rich are not the ones willing to help. Not even when they are approached by their own family members begging for help. Instead of helping out, they judge and talk bad about their own flesh and blood and then flaunt their possessions on social media just to let their friends know that they are not the least bit affected by the devastation that others are going through. People like this make me sick! 

However, with all this doom and gloom that we Malaysians are facing with right now, I deeply believe that this situation is only temporary. Yes, our lives have been interrupted in a very big way. But there is a blessing behind all of this. During this hard and challenging time is where we learn who our true friends really are, who really cares for us for real, and who are just around when the going is good. This is also the time to see everybody's true colours and what they are really made of. 

For my fallen Malaysians who are still holding on and keeping up a brave front, keep hanging on to that thread of hope no matter how thin and flimsy that thread may be right now. Yes, you are going through hell, but have faith that you will survive this hell and when you do, nothing else that comes your way after this is going to faze you. Don't beat yourself up over something that is beyond your control. Keep your head up, walk tall and proud because you are true warriors. Lastly, don't ever give up on yourself. You've got this.