Goodbye 2020 ~ A Bizarre, Ambigous & Saddening Year!
At the beginning of 2020, I was optimistic for it to be a happy, exciting and productive year. Instead, it began with slight sadness & tension but nothing too significant or life-changing. Yet again, it may have been a warning to what was to come & have a life-changing impact on everyone around the world. The first few months went exceptionally well for me - from January until mid-March: got a job at an office environment - journalism-related and attended numerous outings. 😁💪
But from then on life, started to take a turn for the worst & went downhill. It was an unexpected turn of events - very baffling for many, including myself. All this was due to a horrible & life-threatening virus knowns as Corona or Covid - 19.
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Suddenly restrictions came in place in the UK and, everyone was anxious and concerned at the sudden & worrying situation. I was very annoyed that I could not do the things I would do daily, including going to the gym - an activity I'm very much fond of doing, especially when I've got a good PT. 💪💪💪
This bizarre & new change of circumstances prolonged for quite some time much, to my dismay. From the end of March until mid-July, the UK was isolated, empty & quiet. Businesses shut, educational institutions closed, & etc. Mid-July was when things started easing - businesses gradually started operating again. I was relieved & happy to have finally been able to get on with my life as I used to before the chaos. The first sign of normalcy was getting back in the gym & doing my sessions with my PT.
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Seeing or hearing about the Kabul University attack had upset me a lot - leaving me in tears twice and then discovering about the murder of such a young successful and talented journalist saddened me even further. I was quite fond of his personality - the way he used to conduct himself as a news anchor and do his job successfully. Moreover, there was something unique about him that would make him stand out amongst other journalists and some well-known faces of Afghanistan in general and make him even more likeable.
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| the late Yama Siawash |
Initially, when I came to know about this news, I was shocked and in disbelief - I could not process the reality of the issue - thinking to myself how a journalist or an ordinary citizen of a country can be a target and brutally get killed. I still can't come to terms with it.
I felt so strong and sad about this incident that I began to do something as a way of expressing my condolences and an attempt to ensure such an occurrence does not happen again. This time, I could not just do nothing!
So, to start with, I wrote a poem in memory of the late Yama Siawash, which received quite a lot of appreciation from people, including one or two of his loved ones. Then, I decided to contribute to an event held for the late journalist to pay my respects and express my condolences. I was privileged to say a few words to try to do my bit in making sure such an incident does not reoccur along with reciting my poem.
From then on, I also produced a few other stuff concerning his family and his sudden/ painful demise. Creating such materials was out of humanity and my way of showing appreciation & support to my fellow countryman. Like the poem dedicated to the late Yama Siawash, these produced content was shown great admiration and received good enough views.
Shockingly, the constant killing of great talents & the youth did not end with late Yama Siawash's horrifying attack. Unfortunately, it prolonged to more than five deaths - all carried in similar circumstances to each other and altogether, including Yama Siawash's demise, devastated me beyond measure as they were all young, ambitious, bright, talented and above all, innocent. Additionally, they were my countrymen & we belonged from the same field of study - journalism, making me feel even more distressed.
Being a journalist is not a crime. Instead, it is a voice for the oppressed and a powerful tool to inform the world about ongoing events, extending the public's knowledge & awareness.
Yet in some countries, the voice of truth & knowledge seems too threatening and thus, gets silenced for eternity.
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| Journalists who died in the year 2020 |
Other forms of attacks also kept taking place in Afghanistan, killing innocent families all together for absolutely no legit reason - making Kabul an even more petrifying place for citizens.
To put it in a nutshell, covid - 19 & the constant attacks back in my homeland made this year profoundly difficult and bitter for me and arguably for many others affected by Corona or the horrifying incidents in Afghanistan. Let's hope 2021 can be a year of happiness - productivity & positivity. 😉
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