When negative is positive

Last August was quite stressful due to health concerns. As the temperature in Bangalore soared, so did the temperature in my body. I was down with a viral fever, and my daughter, who had just recovered from COVID, suspected that I was on the threshold of getting one! We shared notes about our similar symptoms. I welcomed her to the “club,” as I had recovered from Covid a few months ago and was in no mood to renew my subscription.

In a world full of negatives, from battery terminals to math equations,one word that stands out and shines is the word’positive’. It has mastered the art of being both a good thing and a potential head-scratcher.

Our family doctor examined my throat, and when he asked me to say ahh, I was confident that I wasn’t ‘positive.’ He said it was just a viral infection. Had I tested positive, I would have taken a nosedive into a negative spiral of worry and confusion.

My friends and relatives advised me to be positive; it’s just a fever. Have positive thoughts and positive feelings. Watch positive pictures and videos; the list of positivity is endless. By now, I had come to detest the word positive. Well-meaning friends and their positive words were heartwarming, minus the ‘positive’. Let’s not forget “its” role in turning things around.

Back home, my mother and husband were hovering around with masks, and I had a mask too, which lay nonchalantly on my chin. My domestic helper, sporting a similar mask, looked at me as I was crouched under a blanket and said, “Don’t worry,you are under the weather. Just the viral flu.” My mother rushed to make her signature rasam, known for its effectiveness against viral infections.

Viral is indeed a trending word. We have emotions going viral—viral videos, Wordle, the viral guessing game,viral messages, tweets, and posts. The list continues. Despite knowing that it wasn’t the dreaded Covid, fear was spiralling in my body like a viral virus. I ventured into the kitchen to taste the sugar, salt, and spices. Each had its own distinct taste. I sniffed around like a sniffer dog and could smell the malodorous drain 60 feet below my apartment. For once, I wasn’t in a complaining mood, as my olfactory senses were playing their part well, putting Covid to shame.

Friends and family helped me recover quickly and get back to my corporate training. I shudder at the thought of the vicious virus that lurks around the corner, trying to catch the unsuspecting victim. So, there you have it—the quirky world of the word “positive.” So next time life throws a curveball, just remember the power of positivity and the smile at the variety it brings to your vocabulary. I can positively say I am negative towards Covid but positive in all other aspects.