Once Upon a Time, There was a Virus

Once upon a time people all around the World took each other and Earth for granted. They spent more than half the day at their jobs. They rushed through breakfast, through lunch, and through dinner. They didn’t get to spend time appreciating the beauty of the land because they were overwhelmed with responsibilities. They fought with one another over a screen over politics, religion, race, gender, and anything that made them different from one another. They kept up with the hustle and bustle of life. They spent more time on their phones than with their family. Their families felt the brunt of all of this.

Then one day the unimaginable happened. The Earth fought back. It needed to try to make them understand the ramifications of their actions. A powerful virus began to spread. People tried to continue with their normal lives, but many of them got sick. Many didn’t survive. People were forced to stay within their homes unless they were able to help stop the spread medically.

This began in one part of the World and within months made it to the other side of the World. Now the people of Earth were bound together by a virus. They were quarantined in their homes. They were forced to slow down.

As the days in isolation at first brought on anxiety and fear; they slowly turned into appreciation. For those who were healthy, they appreciated their health and their family’s health. They began understanding the gifts they’d been given. They began reading with their children, playing games, FaceTiming family that they weren’t able to see in person. They took walks and breathed in the fresh air. They noticed that the air had a distinct smell and feel now. They found ways to connect with their family and neighbors, while still following healthy distance recommendations.

Neighborhoods, communities, businesses, and schools all came together to make this abrupt transition bearable. They came together as a People to help one another survive this virus. They also helped those who had to remain working in order to keep people alive and fed. They uplifted those who were mourning. They were there for each other.

The Earth also needed some recuperating. Popular waterways began to see life again. The streets had less waste upon them. The skies opened up to clean the air and the sun shone brightly throughout the World.

Months had passed. The People began to drift back into their old lives. Only this time they remembered to love one another. They remembered to love the Earth. They remembered that TIME with each other is the most precious and irreplaceable thing we have. Although major events were cancelled; and lives were altered or lost. The People have learned not to take these gifts we have everyday for granted. They learned to not take for granted a hug from a loved one; or the warm breeze while walking through a trail.

Once upon a time, there was a virus, and it changed our perspective on life.

THE END.