Jamirious Mooney
April 23, 2033
Dear Innocence,
You had just turned 8 years old when the world started to become a better place. It all began March 2020, when mommy came home from her job crying. It was the last day she went to work for a while, but she was able to spend so much time with you. After that day in March, school begin to shut down and you were so happy about that. You hated school because of the simple fact that you were not able to learn due to the teacher always having to punish the class. You vividly remember hearing these words every day, “I’m sorry to those of you who do what you are supposed to do, and that you have to deal with students who do not know how to be a student.” That apology didn’t make you feel better, it made you hate school even more because your cousins who went to school in the southern part of the county got to play outside and go on fieldtrips and they didn’t have to wear uniforms. The day school got cancelled for the rest of the year meant you could finally sleep in and not have to get up at 4am to catch the bus at 5:15, even though school started at 7:15.
I hope you remember how you were able to spend more time with family, mom and dad were home all the time. You were able to eat so many home cooked meals, as you were used to eating out because mommy was too tired to cook after work. You all finally ate at the dinner table and said grace each night. Dad started to help mom with dishes and housework, but it was unusual because around this time, dad would be taking is fifth call since being home from work. You learned how to cut the grass, change the oil in the car, and how to grill because dad was home long enough to teach you the things that men are supposed to know how to do. Family nights were the best, after dinner y’all would play UNO, Monopoly, Sorry, and Heads up. Your favorite game was heads up and you remember laughing so much that your stomach hurt. Instead of playing video games, mom took you to the park and let you play in the yard, because she could actually be outside with you to make sure you were okay. But the best part is that all the neighbors were outside now too, and you were able to play with Christian and Khamryn from next door. You had never been able to play with the kids outside before because it wasn’t safe.
Life was like a movie, being able to be active outside, spending so much time with family, playing with kids outside instead of Xbox live, this was a rare moment history.
As you got older you began to realize that the moment wasn’t rare, it had been lost in a world of growing technology and career driven adults. For a moment, the world repeated history and went back to its roots before everything was about convenience. As you continued to grow and were able to fully comprehend what happened during COVID-19, you saw how selfish people became, you understood that neglect of the government put millions at risk. You truly saw America for who it was, and not what it tried to brainwash you to believe through history. COVID-19 was a monster plague that was meant to reverse some damage done by humans, but the memories that came from the tragedy are some that have built the foundation for your own goals as a dad. It helped you realize how simple life can be, and how complicated we make. This complication is due to societal factors that you want to protect your children from. In a sense, coronavirus gave you a new look on life, one that you never thought you would have, but has been there for generations, and that is the importance of spending time with your family. Whenever life gets complicate remember to return to that place of innocence that the pandemic provided for you, because that is where your true values of life lies.
-JM