P for privacy

  

 Back in the 90s, while in college, "a family that ate together... ", was the norm. Privacy was not a word often uttered, let alone having any importance in simple middle class households. A room to yourselves, even if you lived in a fairly large three bedroom house, was not very common. Closing the door to the room and staying most of your waking hours in your own utopia was a big taboo. So, I studied in a bedroom which had a study table and which ensured that I was in tune with the day-to-day household happenings. My concentration power depended on my interest in studies. Everything happened in tandem with the inner and outer microcosm.

   And in the ladies hostel where I was put up, space was at a premium. Three narrow beds occupied the whole of the room and the rest held our bags and other paraphernalia, a small curtain with just enough space behind, to extend folded hands was all the privacy we could have. But, that closed space ensured a little world in itself, with valuable lessons of sharing and caring imparted. I learnt the art of creating my privacy, while being fully conscious of the other two very near me.

   Cut to 2021, "You are invading on my privacy, " is the norm. When you chat with your friends on the phone - you close the door, when you study - you close the door, when you sleep - you close the door. Knock on the door to see the loved ones face, lest you forget how they look. Microcosms have shrunk to individuals and their gadgets. May be my brain, ingrained with the idea that you do not need an exclusive private space for yourselves at home, (other than the washroom) on a visit to a friends home, could not process the fact that her two teenage sons were closed inside individual air conditioned rooms, while she was running around taking care of her responsibilities. She had to send them a voice note for them to appear to pay respects to the guests! May be I am used to those days when any guests at home meant, our hovering presence was available even before they seated themselves in the living room.

   And now, with Covid and the umpteen online sessions, the new norm is that you get holed up 24/7 in your privacy ensured rooms, so that cameras won't show erring humans walking unnecessarily here and there or catch their conversations.

   May be the next norm could be that we celebrate the day, when the holed up individuals come out once in a blue moon out of their private cocoons and come visiting other cocoons!

PS.. shout out to Ann and Anju, love you for being the best roomies.