Finding Solace in Stoicism

I walk a lonely road, as the song goes. It’s the road of life that I have been treading upon, the only one I have ever known. I don’t always know where it leads, but somehow, it feels like home to me. These lines have taken on a new meaning in the backdrop of a pandemic that has reshaped the world.

The COVID-19 pandemic, an unprecedented global crisis, altered the fabric of our lives. Like many others, I found myself walking down this empty street, “the Boulevard of Broken Dreams”. The city around me seemed to sleep, while I navigated the uncertainty that surrounded me. I walked alone, not just in the physical sense, but in the emotional and psychological realms as well.

Working from home became my new norm. My days were a repetitive cycle of working remotely, eating, sleeping, and the occasional trip to the office. The pandemic lockdowns kept me distanced from my family in China, and I haven’t seen them in four long years. This separation was particularly poignant because I hadn’t witnessed my daughter’s growth since she was a mere baby, and she was now four years old. However, a silver lining emerged in the horizon as I eagerly anticipate my upcoming trip to reunite with my family.

In these times of solitude, I found solace in the wisdom of stoicism. The pandemic led me to a profound realisation — that while I couldn’t always control the external circumstances, I did have control over how I chose to react. It was a journey of self-discovery, a path to a higher level of awareness and consciousness. Stoicism…