Pandemic pushed the world to isolation, social distance and lockdown in homes. This period, in which we have frozen our social relations and restricted our mobility, had individual and social effects. Our perception of space and time has changed. Our questions and problems about the universe, nature and existence have diversified or deepened. Perhaps it is time to ask questions to life like why and how right after the days when the reality of death shook the world.
In order to get answers with traces of different beliefs, different cultures and social structures, we asked our friends from different parts of the world to these questions: what do you live for? What connects you to life as you start your day each morning? Do you have a dream? Do you think the pandemic affected the answers to these questions and your perspective on life?
Polina Mytsalo writes from Russia, for Gergedan.
First of all, thank you for these questions. Even though they are simple, along the way of becoming an adult, I tend to find less spare minutes to think them over.
I would rather formulate the first one as “what gives purpose to your life, what makes it meaningful?”. I think all the moments of joy and happiness. I live for feelings of loving someone and being loved, satisfaction from achieving academic and later professional goals, and of course for getting to know the world better, seeing it in all the details and thus feeding my curiosity.
I guess it is my dream that connects me to my life. A beautiful picture of the desired future regarding my family and professional self-realisation. Willingness to bring something to my beloved ones and to other people whom I can serve through my skills and competences. I don’t have a particular dream yet, I think I’m more a process- than a result-oriented person. I just enjoy living in harmony and looking for new opportunities and insights about what step to take next.
Pandemic didn’t really challenge my worldview though I had more time for reflections and could understand something I hadn’t been able even to see before. It did change my daily life a lot since in one month I broke up with a man and lost my job. But after having had a rest for a couple of months, I restarted everything from scratch being full of energy and take the most out of beautiful summer days in Moscow. I think it is my faith in God that gives me strength and support and allows to move forward despite some tiny trials.
Polina Mytsalo
