Time magazine’s December 2020 front page featured an article by Stephanie Zacharek titled “2020, The Worst Year Ever.” This article among many others was very succinct and vivid in showing us how grim 2020 was. The world lost 3.9million people among some 182 million who got infected as at 2nd July 2021 (WHO Covid Dashboard). In this article the writer stressed, “The pandemic enforced a kind of communal isolation, framing a cascade of public catastrophes and injustices with loneliness.” This couldn’t have been put any better because that was the reality for many. Majority of us slowed down from the fast paced high-street life of hitting the road to work as early as 6am to staying all day in pyjamas laying on the couch, bored to death. 

Just before the first lockdown was enforced in France in March 2019, I figured if school was going to be closed till further notice I may as well try something I had always imagined myself doing. I got myself a canvas from painting by numbers with a cute set of paint and brushes. What a better way to while away those long unending days! That was my first try at painting and to my surprise, the love for artistic painting I always had was not just some fantasy. I was shocked at myself when I tried the second, third to tenth painting. 

I remember my dad asking me if my painting was an existing picture. He never in a million years thought his daughter could paint. So I decided that I was going to try my hands on anything that I have always been fascinated to do. I started to play the three to four guitar chords I knew whenever I got an opportunity with a guitar. I got so energized, I talked so much about it until my husband surprised me with my own guitar. The rest is history.

I heard many more stories like mine of people picking up old tools, new hobbies, new regiments and routines, new businesses which they never would without slowing down and really digging deep in the moments of loneliness and barely any social interaction.

So I learned that you can discover new horizons of who you are when you slow down. And when you discover what it is that makes your eyes sparkle, just slow down and invest time. I am a firm believer that there is so much undiscovered potential, hidden talents in everyone and even though many people experienced pain and depression through this pandemic, it has also been a defining moment for many careers, relationships and individuals.

Written by Joy Bonsu Schmutz