Happy Easter everyone.
This year’s celebration is certainly different but as Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said, this is the “new normal”.
We will have a small celebration at our home but what is important is celebrating Easter as a family. For that, I’m grateful.
So while we cannot move about freely during the Movement Control Order (MCO), I’m looking at the one big positive – spending time with my husband and three children.
We are coming to the end of the fourth week of the MCO with another two-week extension confirmed for now – although the PM did say schools will only be reopened at a later date.
I’m sure many of you have adjusted your lifestyle according to the rules of the MCO. I know it is not easy but let’s give thanks for all the good in our lives.
I’m lucky to have a loving family and a home with a garden so I haven’t felt claustrophobic. But not many are so fortunate.
There are people who don’t have a place to stay. Some don’t have enough to eat. My heart goes out to them and to all the victims of Covid-19.
I also feel for frontliners who have to work around the clock to ensure we are safe. We must appreciate their sacrifices.
Thank you for your service.
Tensions can be high during MCO as even close-knit families can get on each other’s nerves.
I have heard of people grumbling they have nothing to do and are afraid their children are missing out on their studies and wasting time sitting at home.
Being an educator, I know how you feel. I love academics and will probably go crazy if I can’t teach or interact with my coaches and scholars. I’m lucky my school, Global Oak Tree Scholars, has been conducting online classes.
So, that‘s another thing I‘m grateful for.
But, not all schools have daily classes. What do parents do then? There is only so much revision and studying you can do each day at home.
Perhaps they can take this time to teach their children and even themselves new skills.
I have been spending plenty of time in the kitchen with my children since MCO began.
They take turns being my sous-chef. It’s nice to have them help me. It takes a big load off while they learn some of the family recipes.
They may not have been so enthusiastic in pre-MCO days.
I’ve seen friends on social media posting pictures of food they have cooked. Some are even making their own bread.
Many are doing so with their sons and daughters. Passing on their knowledge as cooking/baking is a valuable life skill.
There are also some who are learning to sew or finding out how cars run.
There are many educational videos from which we can learn just about anything. Best of all, you can do so in the comfort of your home.
So with another two weeks of the MCO, let’s look at the positive side of life. Embrace the situation, hug your loved ones and be thankful you have a place to call home.
Many are not so lucky. Please stay safe.
This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Twentytwo13.
