Dear COVID-19, Thank You.

Thank you, COVID-19.

You are small, an almost invisible yet powerful monster. You send chills down my spine for how powerful you are. But I refuse to succumb to the fear you project on us. You provoke hate in people by making their lives turn upside down. You are an international terrorist starring in all news and social media.

Despite these negative effects, you have earned my respect, and I thank you for making me see things to which I’d been blind. You’re forcing me to open my eyes and see the world like never before.

I respect you, and I want to thank you for pushing me to grow into a better person.

Your sister monster, 1918 Spanish flu, visited us 90 years ago. But those life-altering lessons have faded away with generations of the past.

COVID-19, I thank you for making us respect our elders more; to care and love for them, knowing they might not be here tomorrow.

We cherish the time that we have left with them, curiously listening to their stories. We have lost our attitudes of dismissal, judgmental and sarcasm. We now say, “I’m here for you, my dear elder.”

We are now more interested in running our households alongside our kids, teaching them valuable life skills. Together, we take care of the family pet, work in the garden, balance the budget, plan a little further ahead, and respect each other’s time and space. Our homes are full of camaraderie and selflessness. 

Thanks to your powerful spread, we are spending more time at home. Even though some of us introverts don’t feel that life has changed much, the opposite is actually true.

But with the world slowing down on the outside, we have a chance now to finish projects that have been long overdue. We are building a raised bed garden, learning how to preserve food, and making jams. We’re learning to be self-sustaining and resourceful. Some of us might even go and rescue some animals.

We love seeing our family becoming less wasteful.

We are grateful that we still have food on the table.

COVID-19, you’ve made us realize that as long as we keep our bodies healthy from the inside out, you can’t harm us. 

As a community, we check on each other more, offering help or just a comforting smile.

“How are you?” has turned from a dead face phrase into a genuine interest in what others have to say in response.

We enjoy the pause from daily business, time to slow down and take care of ourselves; to read, work out, cook something with loved ones, meditate, or be able to hear our own thoughts. We take our dogs on long walks, play with them, and appreciate their company.

You’ve made us realize how much we need each other now more than ever. A necessary shift has occurred where society moves from an individualistic, selfish “me” to a considerate and generous “WE.”

You’re making us realize the power of fear on some. These panicked individuals are overreacting to the detriment of others. But we refuse to label society based on the irrational behavior of a few, extremely frightened individuals.

COVID-19, You are a monster and have taken dear people away from us. At the same time, you are teaching us to be stronger, smarter, and kinder. You are making us re-think our ways.  You are making us take a deep look into ourselves and see both the beauty and the ugliness. We have realized that something has to fundamentally change in the way we do things. You are forcing us to make intentional, powerful much-needed adjustments in the way we live as individuals and a community.

We have learned to thrive - not just survive.