In March of 2020, Covid hit. We are still suffering from the battle wounds of that pandemic. It was dangerous and contagious.
So, everything shut down.
We were told to stay home.
To work from home.
To keep our teens home.
To isolate ourselves.
And so we did.
Due to fear, we listened and obeyed.
People were sick. People were dying.
It was necessary for us to quarantine.
For the good of mankind.
We willingly made accommodations to benefit us all.
We learned to do life differently.
We made friends with Zoom and webcams and microphones.
Screens became our portal. To work. To School. To Life.
We still saw people. We still talked to people. But mostly virtually.
Work got done and schoolwork was assigned. Sometimes even completed and turned in timely.
For a while, this seemed ideal.
Fewer car lines, more sleeping in.
Less travel time, more relaxing time.
Fewer events to attend, more time at home.
All in all, more family together time.
And yet, we soon began to miss life.
The hustle and bustle of what it means to be human.
The pleasure of enjoying a meal inside a restaurant.The joy of laughing with friends while serving up frozen yogurt.
The thrill of buttery popcorn before the feature film.
The energy of sweating together in a group workout class.
Yes, my friend. We began to miss the things that make life, well … the little things that make life worth living.
And our teens missed them too.
Zoom and Google Classroom were no substitute for in-person learning. Facetime and social media no replacement for face-to-face conversations.
There were no proms, no graduations, no sporting events, no extracurriculars, and no social activities.
Teens missed their friends, hanging out on weekends, and laughing about inside jokes until their sides hurt.
It was brutally painful for them. They missed living life.
And so, they spent their time alone in their rooms. Isolated. Day in and day out. Staring at screens. Doing virtual work. Looking at virtual friends. Talking to virtual teachers.
Over time, what had once seemed fun and new, became monotonous and boring. Crippling even. Our teens grew lonely, sad, frustrated, and depressed. And so did we.
My friend, it’s now April 2021. The world is beginning to awaken from the Covid pandemic. Vaccines are being given across the country. Cities and states are opening up.
We’re springing back to life. Everything is seemingly more normal. And yet, if we’re being completely honest, it’s not normal. Most of us, including our teens, are carrying hidden wounds from the ordeal of the past year. Hidden fears, hidden heartaches, hidden sadness, hidden loss, hidden sorrows. We’ve survived a battle and the wounds are still fresh.
These wounds need to be healed. NOT overlooked or dismissed. NOT buried or ignored.
If you or your teen are struggling in any way (work, grades, friends, emotional balance, mental wellness, finances), please don’t struggle in silence. Don’t cry yourself to sleep, beat yourself up, or pretend everything is ok. Don’t run away, give in, or give up. I’ve been there and done that. It doesn’t solve the problem. It just magnifies it. Choose instead to process the pain and heal the wounds. I can help you and/or your teen do this. If you don’t have the skills to do it on your own and you want my support, I’m here.
Yes, Covid hit with a vengeance in 2020, but today is a new day. Choose not to let fear hold you back. The future is bright. It’s calling you forward. Choose to answer it
