Young lady's letter to COVID puts it all in perspective

 

Editor's note: We received this submission from Theresa Wolf. The following was written by her daughter, Dawn, who attends Paloma Valley High School. She was asked to write a letter to COVID as an assignment for her English III class. A proud mother asked us to share this with our readers and we were happy to do so. The wisdom of our youth is our future.

 

Dear COVID:

I have so much to say. You came out of nowhere. You were silent. We didn't even know you were here, but then you struck, and when you did, you made a humongous sound as though you were wanting to be heard.

I'm not sorry to say that no one wants you here. You have caused so much sadness and grief across the world. I don't appreciate how you came here and started to control our lives as though we didn't have any before you came. It's been months since I have had any decent conversation with anyone besides my family that I live with. I'm starting to wonder if you will never go away.

You have disrupted my life. You have ruined my future. I'm now going to have to work extra hard to catch up and learn the things my teachers failed to teach me towards the end of the year, when you arrived and startled everyone.

My only question is why? Why did you have to come? Why did you have to hurt so many people? You’ve made multiple people, including myself, suffer physically, academically, financially, and emotionally. You’ve made people lose their jobs, their houses, their will to live. I am scared for what the future holds. I don't want you staying here any longer.

I have searched far and deep for anything to look forward to, even though you are here. I have looked for even the tiniest bit of light in these dark times -- reasons to be happy you are here, even though all you’ve caused is nothing but bad.

You have taught me that even in the worst of times you can still have fun, you can still have hope, you can still find love, you can still create memories. You taught me who my real friends are. You showed me who to keep in my life and who to keep out.

I wished that things were different. I wish things were back to what it was before you were here. Then again, things happen for a reason and we can't change it. All we can do is see where it takes us, learn from our mistakes, see how our future unfolds, and make a path for those who need it.

Dear COVID, thank you. Whether you take the thank you sincerely or hatefully is your choice.

                                                                                  

Dawn Wolf