“The father of my close friend passed away after contracting the virus, and a few of my friends have been quarantined, so all I have been listening to is grief and depressing news. Thankfully, my meditation practice is helping me beat the stress,” says Renu Desai.
The actress states that she was introduced to the practice of meditation when she was just 12 years old, by her mother. “Ever since, I have been practicing it to stay strong in times of distress,” she says, adding that it’s time people cultivated gratitude and focused on things they have, rather than on what they don’t have.
If the stressful news about COVID-19 gets too overwhelming, Renu also takes a break from social media.
“As much as spreading the word about the need for oxygen cylinders and other medical equipment is significant, I believe mental health is equally important. We need to embrace the tiny joys in day-to-day life to stay upbeat. I believe the purpose of life is to find joy in times of difficulty whilst empathising with others and hoping for the best,” she says.
As a mother, Renu, who also directed and produced a Marathi film, Ishq Wala Love, has decided to make Saturdays gadget free-days for her kids. “Most of the time my daughter Aadya (11) is on the laptop doing her school work or other stuff. Or, she is on her mobile phone. I feel kids’ brains need some rest from gadgets. I have started reading with them every day so that they don’t lose touch with their reading habit,” explains the Badri actress, adding that, fortunately, her son Akira (17) isn’t a gadget freak.
