It has gotten warmer; the sidewalks, the lawns, the nearby park are adorned with vivid blooms, swathes of lush greenery. Life amidst a climbing death toll worldwide. So in this beautiful time of the year, we are all being asked to stay home, put off gatherings, wash our hands, wear masks. I don’t mind the measures. Given the sickness, loss and layoffs going around, I have no right to complain and I’m happy to play my little role in preventing the spread. Years later, when people would talk about that dark chapter of history that was Covid-19, I wouldn’t be the one with horrendous stories to share. But if I were asked to tell of my experience, I’ll talk about the renewed appreciation for simple freedoms. There hasn’t been a restriction on how often we can leave our homes, how long we can stay outdoors. How often we can visit a store and how many people from one household can go on a trip. So we take walks in the neighbourhood, keeping our distance, snapping photos of flowers and mossy branches. We cross the street to avoid oncoming pedestrians. Once a week, my fiancé and I don masks and pick up groceries together. But some mornings, I do a solo run for forgotten items because I like grocery shopping alone; after the seniors’ shopping hour, of course. There, mundane habits that feel like rare moments of normalcy, that we know could be diminished by yet another spike in cases.
We are healthy and well, using this time to rest and reflect. But how I wish this ends soon.
Leah Ranada 