Dear everyone, are you a DC fan or a Marvel fan?

Dear everyone,

Listen up, I'm about to tell you a tale about epicness so great, our great grandchildren will speak of it. About heroes so real, our ancestors are standing tall with eyes shining bright with pride because of their legacy, these humans they've birthed who have decided to put on masks to save our lives. Listen up, our true heroes have assembled.

Spiderman is my friendly neighbourhood grocery store clerk, who stays open all the way till the very last second before the clock strikes 8PM and it's mandatory for even them to go home now (to their significant other who's holding down the fort at home with 3 young ones). I thank you, every day you have the power to increase the price of my comfort snacks, or close early to save yourself the extra minutes of breathing in potentially toxic air, but you stand vigil, you stay responsible so I can live a little easier.

They. Are. Ironman. The doctors and nurses who don't even have time to snap their fingers, let alone sleep as they care for the lives of the thousands who are infected and have no choice but to continue to fight this war even after seeing lives disappear day in and day out in a snap of one's fingers. They stand neck deep in worry and wariness, surrounded by a crowd that looks to them for just the slightest respite from this horrible, terrible illness. Please remember, we love you 3000.

Batman - tirelessly through the night do our delivery men and women work to get us our paint brushes and baking trays to feed our newfound hobbies and hidden talents. Unbeknownst to us, these are the heroes who have lurked in the dark, in the background for so long, for they were never the heroes we wanted but they are the ones we now need. And with however far and wide the air around them has travelled, they risk themselves as they deftly answer pick-up requests and within weeks, sometimes days or hours, miraculously, wondrously - our package is here! We look up to say the thank you we forgot in our moment of excitement but they're already gone - off to deliver another package of temporary but oh-so-necessary happiness.

The Flash, the scientist who continues to speedily test one vaccine after the next instead of sitting at home trying to turn back time to save her father who died not days ago from the same villainous stain that cowardly hides in the air we breathe, trying its best to reverse life as we know it. These scientists who keep running, testing, trying tirelessly over and over and over and over again to find a cure so that we do not have to feel the pain and anguish they power through. These individuals who mourn even as they work. How quickly they brush aside their tears for the ones they've loved and lost so that that they can see clearly as they recalculate, and re-test.

These are our heroes. The doctors and nurses, the delivery men and women, the store clerks and the IT professionals who still have to visit their clients' sites. The cleaners and the scientists, the ones I have forgotten but who are no less important.

The ones who don't take off their masks. For our safety. For mine and for all the people I love so dearly. I have never before heard or seen a plot unfold, a story told, a song sung of heroes braver than you.

Dear everyone, let us awake, and show that we do not forsake - rise with me and spread these words of gratitude and hope: To our frontliners; in brightest day, in blackest night, before this pandemic, now and after, no evil shall blur your sight - thank you for holding your post and sharing with us your might.

From and with love,

Amrita P. Poptani

A daughter, a sister, a partner, a friend, a citizen of Earth and alive with hope because you continue.