May 24: Our Shared Experience

The COVID-19 pandemic will doubtlessly be remembered as one of the most significant events of the past century. Recently our fifth graders read a story about the Great Depression for an assignment. As part of their follow-up, they were asked to think of themselves as being potential primary sources for what it was like to live through this time period, and to write a journal entry describing their experiences. It was fascinating to read what they wrote, because as predictable as many of the responses were — missing their friends, missing school, wanting to play sports in the summer, wanting to travel, being bored while stuck at home, and so on — there were a few that revealed unexpected moments of depth and vulnerability:

*Everyone else is going through the same thing, so I guess we will get used to living our lives like this.
*When people have these changes together it might be easier for them because they won’t feel so alone in this change.
*People will learn what we need and what we want.
*Now we know to enjoy what we do each day because it could change tomorrow.

After reading the things they wrote, I decided to take a crack at it myself.

Dear diary, 

Today’s date is May 24, 2020.

How I felt when I heard school wouldn’t be reopening: 
I was relieved and frightened. Relieved in a selfish manner, knowing I wouldn’t need to be out in public more than what was absolutely necessary. Frightened because the world had changed so dramatically and so quickly, and the situation had become something serious enough to threaten the well-being of myself, my students, my family, and my friends.

What I miss most about life before the pandemic broke out:
The simple act of going out in public and feeling secure is something I hope I never take for granted again. The last time I went to a store, there were more people walking around without masks than with them. I boiled a little when I saw the unmasked roaming the aisles, either unconcerned with the responsibilities they had as a part of the citizenry, or oblivious to how serious things are, or acting like one of these people too misguided or ignorant to somehow equate the changes required to their daily lives during a pandemic with an infringement on their personal freedoms they probably hadn't thought twice about until someone asked them to do things they didn't want to do.

My new day looks like: 
I rarely leave my house, other than to pick up the newspaper in the morning, take the dog out for walks, or get the mail in the late afternoon. While I’m teaching, I spend a lot of time at the computer in my home office, reviewing assignments that maybe 35% of the students care about. I get a lot of things delivered to my house, or a pick them up curbside, only speaking to other people through a closed windows and doors. Other than that, life is finding ways to either keep my mind occupied to avoid the loneliness or to anesthetize it: Watching TV. Reading. Sudoku. Naps. Thankfully I have a dog who will follow me from room to room, unless there’s a good-sized sunny patch waiting for him somewhere else.

Something I want the future generations to know: 
Many of our leaders tried to keep the population safe and healthy, but many of them also looked for ways to direct this tragic turn of events to their personal or political advantage. Always remember: It matters who you elect.