“Thoughts of People in a Pandemic”

How long before I see your smiling face?

How long must my arms bear the burden of nothing without you for them to embrace?

How long must the sidewalks lay bare, the streetlight being its only friend, until we can walk hand in hand down that little way again?

How long must our table be empty, its chairs collecting dust, until we can dine in candlelight, just the two of us?

How long must our children, young and sincere, be separated in school and chronically confined to their computers, until they can go out into the world again with their smiles and without our fears?

How long must my mind toil to take on the troubles of the world around me, when I struggle to wear, and long to break, the mask that is shielding more than just my smile, the real and the fake?

How long must we wait for this time to pass? Although there were good moments, we wish to be back in the past, in the days where we couldn’t fathom something so horrifying yet humbling, so isolating yet introspective, so destructive yet devising…but we can’t.

We long to stay in the past, whether good or bad, reminiscing on our triumphs or ruminating on the trip-ups we had. But if I could offer a piece of advice, would you not shut me out, would you not turn off my mic?

Here it is plain and simple: Stay along for the ride. I know times are crazy, but so is life. I hear you and I feel you; we are strong enough for victory! But no knight can win a fight without courage and humility. We have to pass the past on our little way down the road because at the end is the streetlight of the future, with your smiling face as its brilliant glow.