The young and the old have faced it. A phase full of fear and anxiety. An experience for a lifetime. Twelve months of uncertainties and dreadful feelings even to the extent of losing your dear and loved ones. The crazy and anxious moments thrust upon us by the dreadful COVID -19 will leave some memories for a long, long time. The virus had a sour start in March 2020, leading to chaos and the subsequent lockdowns. Yes, we have all gone through it for over a year but it appears that things are now settling down, at least in our very own state of Goa. Let us hope and pray that the worst will be a thing of the past bringing relief to one and all, at the earliest.

In hindsight, the lockdown makes us remember the sour memories as well as some sweet memories. The mad rush to procure groceries was the immediate effect of the lockdown. With no work pressure, it was a challenge to pass your time. Indoor games like scrabble, snakes & ladders, cards, chess, carrom, table-tennis, etc. became the family entertainment. With cinema halls shut, it was time to watch our favourite movies in the luxury of our homes. Video calling and zoom meeting was the only way to interact with our loved ones. Online classes, dance classes as well as online games were a good source to keep the kids involved and help them to keep their boredom away. It was heartening to see the children and grandchildren who are always busy in their own ways, going an extra mile to give more time to their grandparents. Working people got a chance to work from home. Women and men alike took up hobbies like cooking to try out new food delicacies to compensate the outside food. All in all, the positive aspect of the lockdown in the reality that people enjoyed some quality time with their family, learnt some lessons in life and enjoyed some free time to pursue their hobbies.

We are at the fag end of the Lenten Season – a time to renew ourselves. Unlike last year, this time we are fortunate to be able to participate in the Church services specially the Holy Week and the Resurrection of our Lord – Easter. We all know that the greatest gift of Easter is hope – a hope which makes us have that confidence in God, in His ultimate triumph and in His goodness and love. In these trying times, the gift of ‘hope’ is what we can wish, for each one of us. May this Easter be a symbol of hope, renewal and new life to you and all the members of your family.

HAPPY EASTER 2021.

Till we meet again

Felix Dias
Editor