After 9/11, I wrote for weeks in my journal about the uncertainty our nation was feeling, what I was feeling. In the last 19 years, I have gone back to those journals several times and relived the angst, the fear, but also the connectedness of the American people.

Today, I tweaked my son’s writing homework which was based on the haunting personal experience by Elie Wiesel and his novel, Night. “Imagine you and your family are forced to leave your home with only what you can carry in your arms. Your task is to write about this experience as you settle into your new ‘home.’ Write three paragraphs explaining what has happened, where you are and how you feel, and what you think will happen.”

While the Holocaust is an extremely important topic to learn and understand, I felt today, we needed to talk about our new reality. I asked my son to journal his experiences thus far in the CO-VID19 journey. Here’s his response…

“I am writing in my kitchen and doing my homework. My last two weeks have been wack. The first week of March didn’t change at all. It came in like a lamb. The second week was when it came in like a lion. Schools were being shut down as of Friday the 13th. Friday the 13th was a very eerie day. My sister got sick and our vacation was canceled indefinitely and three days later school was cancelled. The coronavirus has taken over our lives.

I’m on day seven of quarantine and I have used my days not very productively. My dad and I have gone ice fishing for four of the seven days so far. We have caught over 90 fish and are making sure the family doesn’t go hungry. We are watching jeopardy and 25 words or less in the evening. I also do my schoolwork and play NBA2K20. I feel like I am trapped and can’t escape. I feel like I am forced to do things I don’t want to do. I can’t watch or play sports and am bored.

I think that the coronavirus will start to slow down around June. I think that this will end when the world comes to their senses and everybody starts to stay at home and quarantine. I hope that this ends soon. If this doesn’t we are in for a long ride.“