Dear America,
I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. If you’re reading this, it means that we, as a nation, have survived the COVID-19 pandemic. I am writing this in April of 2020, a time where anxiety surrounding our current situation is at an all-time high. There is no real end in sight, and many of us are beginning to wonder if life will ever feel truly normal again. How will this virus change our world for good? How will the global economy rebound from such a sudden halt of stimulation? Will I ever be able to hug my homies again?
Life in the present moment is full of uncertainties. Our day-to-day lives are slower than ever before and we are being forced to reevaluate how we spend our free time. The experience of living has been altered and skewed in ways that none of us could have predicted. But, in this odd and unsure time to be alive, there are lessons that I hope we, as a nation, will remember.
I hope we, as a nation, will remember the heroes who lifted us in this time: the grocery store clerk, the mailman, and the garbage collector; the everyday citizens who continue doing their jobs so that society might retain a slice of normalcy; the nurses, the doctors, and the healthcare professionals; the people who are on the front lines, risking their own lives as they fight an invisible enemy. May we never take their services for granted again. May we remember how we revered our neighbors as unsung heroes, and may that kindness and respect echo into our relationships with each other for decades to come.
I hope that we, as a nation, might be reminded of those who really love us. As we spend day after day inside of our homes, it is the people that we are inside with that make all the difference. Families are spending more time together than ever before. Roommates and lovers are learning more and more about those that they are cohabitating with. This is a time where intentionality, or lack of, can make or break relationships. May we remember this as a time where we created bonds deeper than ever before with those who mean the most to us. May we remember to cherish those who stood by us on days that we needed them most.
I hope that we, as a nation, never forget how blessed we are. Never again may we take for granted our freedom to travel, to explore, and to meet new people. Never again may we take for granted the roar of the crowd after our home team scores a touchdown or a goal or a homerun. Never again may we take for granted the closeness of bodies crowded together at a concert, hundreds of strangers coming together to share in an experience. These moments add value to our lives, and they unite us in a shared human experience. We are blessed to have had experiences like these, and the hope of more to come is what continues to drive us forward.
America, if you are reading this, I hope you are well. Not just “well,” but I hope you find yourself better than ever. I hope the lessons learned from the pandemic carry over and create a newer, richer version of life. I hope your people are kinder to each other and that they never again take for granted life’s seemingly simple pleasures. I hope that relationships between families and friends are deeper and more meaningful than ever before. But, more than anything, I really hope that I get to hug my homies.
Sending my very best,
Molly