It struck instantaneously, no one was ready

News screaming of a new Chinese Pandemic. Chill 5th grader from Uzbekistan did not care that much. I was enjoying my life to the fullest back then. Coming home that day, March 24, I first heard the word lockdown. Sounded funny, in fact was not. 5 months indoors had an effect on me.

My freedom was limited, completely. I hated every second of it. Not being able to study, to normally socialize, nothing. The world was becoming meaningless. They took away what I valued and gave me a mask with antiseptic.

The grief of a child is not long-lasting, though. My parents, I became closer with them. Before that, I tried to be closer to society I lived in, not my family. We were different, maybe thats why. The pandemic changed that.

My freedom, I thought a lot about it. My body could not move from those 75 m^2 of our apartment, but my mind could. In fact, the limits were outside. I discovered my inside. Having a lot of time, I questioned everything. Not just experienced, but thought about things. It made me mature. In every shadow light survives, depends on how you look.

I regret it did not happen later, I would make better value of it. Still, these 5 months of physical captivity and spiritual freedom were the ones I do not regret about.