I wrote this letter to Kennedy, which for now I stuck in her baby book, so she will know what went on.
Dear Kennedy,
I’m writing this down for you because you are only four and
3/4
th (
😊 ) and won’t remember at least the beginning
of all of this. But it is going to be a big part of your history. Just like
9-11 is a big part of mine.
The virus started in China and by February was in the United
States. By mid-March all kinds of events were being cancelled or at least
postponed: March Madness, NASCAR, Music concerts, weddings, a friend’s 100
th
birthday party, and even funerals! I had 2 cruise groups cancel because Canada
closed its ports!
Your pre-school closed with 1 day’s notice and your mommy
started working from home because she’s expecting Jackson and people didn’t
want to chance her getting sick.
Within a week, non-essential businesses closed, restaurants
and bars were closed (except for take outs), hair salons, nail salons, gyms etc.
etc.
Amazon hired thousands because everyone started to buy online.
Grocery stores were hiring because they
needed to restock and clean so often.
Terms like “social distancing” (meaning we were supposed to
stay 6 feet apart) and “sheltering at home” (where we have to basically stay
home for a month) became a thing. And we were told over and over and over again
to wash our hands often! And not touch our face.
There’s a lot of fear out there and many people blame the
media for fanning it. But for others it took a long time to take it seriously
and the positive cases and deaths keep rising.
Some negative things have happened; toilette paper, bleach
and wipes disappeared from the store shelves. People were hoarding. Nursing
homes have shut down and people can’t visit their loved ones and make sure they
are alright.
But MANY people began sewing masks to donate to hospitals
and people who could use them. People started putting teddy bears in their
windows so little kids could go on walks (or Bear Hunts) with their parents and
get some exercise, teachers from closed schools have paraded through
neighborhoods honking their car horns and yelling to the kids that they missed
them. Schools kept their kitchen’s open to hand out free breakfasts and lunches
to kids. Our church has made meals to hand out and keeps contact through ZOOM
and Facebook Live.
People are sending food and donations to health care
workers. The navy sent an aircraft carrier to be a hospital. Samaritan’s Purse
set up tents manned by medical personnel in Central Park to be with the sick
and dying at the end – promising dignity for the person and telling relatives
that no one would die alone.
Families are breaking out puzzles and board games again.
Best of all people are praying. I’ve gotten emails from
groups asking everyone to pray at 8 pm every night. There’s a movement called
Unite 714 based on the Bible verse 2 Chronicles 7:14 “if my people, who are
called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn
from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their
sin and will heal their land.” And they are calling for the church to pray that
God will eradicate the virus this Holy Week which includes both Easter and
Passover.
Will we go back to simpler times when this is over? Will it
ever really be over? I don’t know. My hope is it makes us better people. That
instead of burying ourselves in our phones and computers we will now realize
what it’s like when we can’t physically be with people. To hug and laugh and
just hang out.
I love you, K!
Nana
Labels: Corona Virus, Covid-19, empty nest, grandchildren, grandparenting, Pandemic, shelter at home, social distancing
