A Story of Reconnecting
By: George Sun.
The pandemic, in COVID-19, has slowly crept into our daily conversations, carrying large magnitudes of influence, and altering our perspectives on one another. This pandemic has changed a number of things: the daily mask wearing routine, unusual and laborious at first, but now, instinctual; the Zoom meetings, where online classes and arduous days of screen time await; or, simply the longing of social interaction. Despite these new routines being instilled into our lives, it is important to look at the multitude of important lessons this pandemic has edified. For me, it was the importance of building relationships and reconnecting with my lineage.
When the pandemic rose as the headline of all news stations, I had a blissful celebration as I wouldn’t need to go to school anymore. I was content to sleep in and have lengthy lunches with my family, as I envisioned the pandemic to simply pass, not affecting my classmates or I. However, in the epicenter of it all, China, my grandparents lived. In their eyes, the pandemic was more than the seasonal flu – it was a fatal virus, and seniors were most prone. This worried my family and I, who lived in Canada, thousands of miles away. Before COVID-19, we would visit my grandparents every year. But this time, the most I could do was video call them. Although I was not able to smell the strong aroma of freshly cooked vegetables, or see the skies and sunsets that blazed with fabulous colours, I was still able to picture it all together through the screen of an iPhone, and through each word I spoke with my grandparents. This made me realize the severity seniors face with loneliness. Rather than treating each call as a burden waiting to be completed, as I did before, I felt more inclined to talk with my grandparents. During these calls, I listened to my grandparents’ stories, and I responded. Slowly, I was able to smell the steamed buns, see the streets of my hometown, and envision myself within all of it.
COVID-19 has been a prevalent issue in today’s society, disturbing the nuances of our day-to-day life. Despite this, it’s important to focus on the bright side – a side where we reflect on lessons learnt. It was the relationships waiting to be built that I took away. The pandemic may seem like a tunnel without any light, but just remember that every step we take to better ourselves will also better our community. As a society, we will come out of this pandemic having learnt more than ever.