Written to the future me…
When you read this letter, I have hopes that the world will have returned to normal. Restaurants and public places will reopen, students will be allowed back on campus, sports and sporting events will return, and we can spend time with the ones we love. We are approaching the third month of this virus takeover. I am positive that this virus has impacted your livelihood in a manner that I cannot understand at the moment. However, I believe that this was supposed to happen and this situation will be controlled. With writing this letter, I will forever wish that you have learned the importance of appreciation and will not take for granted the blessing that you have been provided.
As unfortunate as this is, you spent the final two months your sophomore year at home instead of at school. Yes, it was disappointing because this semester was looking to be the best semester you have had. You found a major that you loved, you were doing great in all of your classes, you had just finished training and became a young life leader at a local high school and were meeting all of the kids you would soon lead, and you had established an awesome group of friends. You spent spring break at home and it was a much-needed rest and break from school and all the chaos. If only you had known that this break and chaos would extend over the remaining three months of sophomore year.
However, being at home has made you appreciate numerous things that you would have never even thought about before. Spending this increased amount of time with both parents and your siblings is something that you will look back on and cherish forever. Going to college and leaving all of these people was something that was difficult for you, and this extended time of being quarantined with your family is something you did not realize you needed. In addition to family, this virus has made you appreciate the littlest of things that occurred on a daily basis. Tasks such as attending class in an actual classroom, being able to go to the store without wearing a mask, being able to spend time with your friends, and eating in an actual restaurant instead of having to take out. It was these activities that seemed so normal and were somethings that you could have never imagined being taken from you.
Something positive from this virus that you will appreciate later is the amount that you have learned about yourself. You have learned what it means to be an adult and live on your own for quite some time without a roommate. You have learned what it is like to lose a job you liked working. You learned that you are a college student who is still dependent on her family. You were able to take up new hobbies during this quarantine, watch new television shows and spend time and get to know yourself better. While this quarantine has been an adjustment and the loneliness seem overwhelming, it has been a time of tremendous growth for you as a sister, daughter, student, classmate, and as a person.
With all of this being said, I hope that the future me has learned to appreciate everything and take nothing for granted. I have hopes that this time with the virus has created a more positive outlook on life throughout the world. Yes, online classes are much more difficult than being in an actual classroom. Yes, not being able to spend time with your friends or be out in public is difficult. Yes, the best semester of college so far was taken from you and that is a hard pill to swallow. But there’s so much more to learn from this experience.
Future me, I wish that you would look back on this experience and appreciate it more than you thought possible. Moving forward with this letter, I ask that you continue to learn more about yourself and grow as a person, while also cherishing all the blessings you have been given.
Written from the past me…