The year 2020 has been extremely challenging for all of us. In such a situation, it has become very difficult to understand where we are headed and in what direction our lives are moving. At the same time, this period gave every individual a rare opportunity for deep reflection and contemplation. Not only did we get a chance to think about ourselves, but we also spent more time with our families—sitting together, understanding one another better, and reconnecting at a deeper level.

Because of social distancing, people across the world were unable to meet one another for nearly three to six months. Many could not even connect with their own families—especially during festivals, birthdays, or, in some tragic cases, even at the time of death. In such circumstances, an important question arises:

What is our role and responsibility in all of this?
Are we truly moving toward transformation?
Is Mother Earth trying to draw our attention and communicate something to us—not only from an environmental perspective, but also from a deeply spiritual one?
Along with that, are we being reminded of our social responsibility and the need to understand and fulfill it?

From my own experience, this period of introspection has been ongoing for many years. I am not alone—many people have been working consciously toward environmental awareness, sharing knowledge, and helping others understand how we can live a life with minimal chemicals and toxins. This is not only beneficial for our health, but also encourages a more natural way of living—what we may call natural or sustainable living.

However, many people argue that it is not possible due to financial responsibilities, monthly expenses, jobs, routines, office work, children, and daily obligations. Over time, we have bound ourselves to these lifestyle choices so tightly that we feel unable to break free. As a result, our thinking also becomes limited within the same boundaries.

At times, I wondered whether others felt the same—that something was fundamentally wrong. There was no such unprecedented illness that required the entire world to shut down for such an extended period. Many people recovered at home through basic care. Yet livelihoods were destroyed, businesses closed, and especially in a country like India, we witnessed mass migrations, with people walking hundreds of kilometers to return to their villages. Countless individuals endured unimaginable suffering.

Does this not raise questions about our collective responsibility?

During this time, many questions arose in my mind.

Can we not bring about change?
Have we lost the courage to speak our truth?
Is there sufficient scientific proof that excessive sanitization, constant mask usage, and chemical disinfectants do not negatively impact the environment and human psychology?

These effects are not limited to our lives alone—they will impact future generations. One day, we will be asked:

What did you do when it mattered?
Why did you not choose differently?

We seem to have forgotten that our body’s immunity—our life force—is something we must nurture ourselves. Our highly stressful lifestyles, addiction to mobile phones, gadgets, and screens have disconnected us from art, music, storytelling, and community living. Earlier generations lived together, shared meals, celebrated festivals, sang traditional songs, and preserved culture and language. We drifted away from all this and became trapped in an artificial, branded world.

Perhaps Mother Earth gave us this opportunity to break free from these entanglements. But as the saying goes, you can take a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink. Change depends on individual willpower—how we choose to direct it. Blaming circumstances only means avoiding responsibility.

After many discussions and reflections, I came to the realization that we must stop focusing on external narratives and instead reconnect with truth—truth that arises from within the human heart. This is not about religion in the conventional sense, but about inner truth, courage, and integrity—the strength to hear that inner voice and act upon it.

We have reached a point where we cannot look back. We must move forward by learning from past experiences and build an entirely new way of living. This is not a battle for one individual; it requires collective unity. We are not fighting against anyone, nor for any political agenda—we are standing for humanity, truth, and Mother Earth.

India, with its ancient agricultural roots, Gurukul education system, and deep cultural wisdom, has drifted toward a purely Western approach. Now, we must listen to Earth’s call, prepare our minds and hearts, cultivate inner silence, and stand firmly for truth—together.

Health, self-reliance, and freedom of thought are fundamental. True power lies in these. Our food systems, farming practices, farmers, water sources, soil, and education must become our focus. Children must be taught these values from the ground up.

Farmers stand at the center of this transformation. Understanding where our food comes from, reconnecting consumers directly with farmers, and removing exploitative intermediaries is essential. When consumers and farmers are connected, society becomes balanced again.

Women and children will play a crucial role in this shift—through household wisdom, natural healthcare, and conscious choices. Reconnecting with villages, weaving our own clothes, rejecting pollution, questioning what we eat and drink, and understanding the origins of our habits are all acts of responsibility.

This is a time for peaceful resistance and conscious revolution. Small daily habits—what we consume, how we live, how we think—directly affect our immunity, mental clarity, and freedom of thought. Removing what harms us is essential.

We must stand united, fearless, and aware. Awakening others is not a right—it is a responsibility. Without collective courage, no meaningful step forward is possible.

Ultimately, we must ask ourselves:

What was my contribution to the present situation?
And what will my contribution be to the future we are creating?

Former Miss World 1999
Yukta Mookhey (Environmental Activist)