Corona was said to be approaching, spreading across the borders, officially reported in Italy and Algeria. The weather this winter has been all but wintery. It was said that the virus doesn't survive in the heat, that's why spring rushed in and February has been warm enough for the bees to hatch. I found it uplifting to see a premature hatching of the bees! It was said that the virus's fatality was overrated. They reported statistics in the radio this morning about it and the Taxi driver said it was America. Why wasn't it spread in Denmark, why wasn't it in I don't know where in Europe? How come China's economy was getting too strong? he said; they built a frigging hospital in 10 days! One expects anything in politics, indeed; not everyone, however is endowed with such level of political analysis. My friend Sarah, fond of documentaries, said that the Chinese ate everything that moved: bugs, bats, turtles, maggots… you name it! From another perspective, the virus was associated with God's revenge, which accounted for divine justice. But I doubt this theory is still valid now that precautions are recommended from our own ministry of health. A doctor in the radio said that they had almost found a medicine, one that was, not newly created, but an old one that when tried out on patients, they sort of breathed better… On the other hand, it was a virus, my father said, and viruses don't have a treatment. It was exactly like a flu only a bit stronger (he knows about the stats) and it was common for the flu to kill tons of people every year. It was just that the Chinese are too many. That's why it appeared like an epidemy. Temperature has started to drop down. Well, gladly! It hasn't rained for too long and it was said that we might instead die of hunger if the rainless heat persisted. Even after the official declaration of the first Tunisian case (Taxi man said it was probably a hundred cases already but they wouldn't say), one would still scroll among all kinds of jokes in the social media. I even saw the virus itself having a fb account and commenting that it had never been so humiliated, so disgracefully slandered! Mom hears the radio, and all they talk about is prevention methods. She said it was a ball of crap. The garlic price went from 8 to 30 dinars! A mere exploitation. People have no mercy toward each other and expect God to have mercy! She told my brother to wash his hands frequently, but he didn't really believe in soap. “They found no medicine that would kill it, and you think soap will?” I'm actually seeing a professionally illustrated poster by Tunisian Red Crescent saying literally “Don't kiss me, don't hug me. A smile to my face makes me happy!” Dad, with an almost gay detachment insisted it might only be serious to people who were vulnerable: The old, the sick, the frail… otherwise it's just a flu. The mail man at work whose heart's been operated more than once said “So what? Let it drop down a little” (referring to the population), “some filtering would be good”. I think he's the only one who heartily acknowledges the virus's right as a lifeless organism to coexist. Does this thing only affect humans? I wonder, because I care to see more bee swarms coming along in the spring; I might even catch some and populate a hive or two.

I am a Nigerian, living in one of the county's busiest cities ever, Lagos. You see, when we first read news about how Corona Virus was affecting the west, we came up with far too many theories, anything to convince ourselves that such an evil virus could not possibly touch God's own beloved continent. It was at this point that most people resolved that being in a country as Nigeria and a continent as hot as Africa was a bliss. You see, we only had access to a fair amount of truth concerning the virus and thus, we went on living our lives as though everything was normal. Unfortunately, we had no idea of how the whole of 2020 was about to change our definitions of normalcy. It was at the time that the first case of the virus was reported, that we understood how foolish we had been in ignoring the warnings and safety measures as seen in other countries and faintly broadcast by our media. It started with one case, and right under our noses, we had a total of 1000 infected people across the country and counting by the minute. A few months passed, and we went into a lock-down such like we had never had. Of course it started with curfews, which frankly, wasn't too strange for us, due to our military background. But to have the whole country shut down, from airports to borders, markets and churches, schools and offices was an event we were not prepared for. As the event unfolded, many began to lose their jobs and businesses. Offices which managed to retain their staff, could not pay salaries as usual, hereby creating a grave financial and social anxiety, thus plunging the nation into a state of panic and uncertainty. To make matters worse, surviving a pandemic became a battle; A battle that we for long fought, a battle that knows it's victor even before it begins. It is the battle of greed over compassion, intoxication of power, the wealthy versus the wretched. Across supermarkets and pharmacies, panic buying was the order of the day. Medical supplies such as nose mask, gloves, toilet papers, hand sanitizers and even Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) which are only needed around here by medical staff when dealing with the infected were scarce to get a hold of. You would think that in such a time where it seemed as though the world would come to end, people would care little for money and show more compassion to one another, but sadly, that was not the case as the prices of these medical supplies which were paramount to the fight against the virus were hijacked by the wealthy, greedy and powerful in the society. The price to pay to acquire just one pack of nose mask was equivalent to a days meal for an average family of three. During the lock-down, I worked from home. This new development did not start immediately, and surely took some time getting used to. However, I thought I had it all figured out - Wake up in the morning, have breakfast, turn my computer on and work sitting in one position, till nightfall; This new normal was fast becoming! As the weeks went by, I grew tired of my new routine. With more restrictions from the government than ever, and little money to last the months to come, the hope and longing for my old life and routine were slowly turning into a far fetched fantasy. It was at this point that depression set in. As the legendary Greek philosopher, Aristotle said, “Man is by nature a social animal"; thus, being locked indoors with no form of social activity whatsoever was beginning to affect the state of my mental health. The social media tended to be the only peep hole into the outside world, hence, several hours spent. Unfortunately, social media could not replace my normal physical social life. I remember days where I sat by the window, starring at nothing, trying hard to occupy my mind with positive thoughts, only that these thoughts were being blocked by tall fences and the sound of emptiness. I was drowning, and fast too. I cried more times than I can remember, I thought of my dreams and goals that I had set for the year and feared that they would never be made manifest. Then somehow, in the very midst of my scattered thoughts and fears, it hit me. I am not alone in this crisis, I realized that there must be someone out there going through the same manner of confusion, fear and uncertainty as myself or even worse. Suddenly my thought pattern shifted. I went from being afraid of not knowing how I would survive the next day to thinking about how to help someone survive the present day. I wanted to bring some calm to anyone who was just like me. I wanted to give people hope, hope for today and the future. I wanted to assure people that everything would be alright, one way or another. I began what I called 'The Lock-down Series'. A platform where I shared motivational videos on social media, that would inspire those dealing with depression and other forms of anxiety due to the pandemic. In doing this, I found purpose. I found me.

I had sat for 20 minutes without noticing any change. The sun was harsh, and it made most of the others I sat with stone faced. A lot were minding their business while a few were already getting into lively conversations and it seemed like I was the only one still in a certain confusion. How is this process organized? I grew up an inquisitive child. You tend to pick up a mind that's always keen on knowing how things worked; when you are born into a strict home where going to play with others is considered a felony and a conversation with a stranger is a crime, but you also somehow owed everyone older than you a greeting. I always welcomed opportunities to learn and I became more introverted and rebellious with the increasing amount of time I had to spend in my head. As I got older, I got super shy, being able to ask a stranger a question was Christmas, and to keep the conversation was Santa's gifts wrapped and tied with red ribbons, so I was mostly left with one person to always talk to, me. I however mastered the art of soliloquy, which never really seemed to work with the ladies. The things that conversations with myself taught me were patience, optimism and how to tear my toys apart to know what made the car move, and to understand the mechanism behind the water gun. I always felt there was no one I could really ask about what bothered me, the adults didn't exactly think. They never seemed to have any answers to my unending questions. Once, my uncle and I were given a bowl of rice with a single piece of fish and meat. When we were done eating, he took the meat and at my protest, he had to convince me. “Fish is better than meat and has more nutrients” he had said, but after a pause my 4 year old self replied, “If that is the case, then why are you eating the meat and not the fish?”. I had once reasoned that if everyone else brought their requests to God in the morning and night, then it would be smarter to come at a time when many people will be busy. A time when he would be quite lonely and in need of company. I could totally relate with God, he was one person I felt wasn't also allowed to go out and play with others, and they never really cared about his opinion too. So just like me he learnt to soliloquize, like he does so well with the contrasting mixture of mute lightening and deafening thunder. Little wonder why storms never scared me. Like when I lost my dad to the cold bullets encouraged by an assassins' ability to use his index finger. Who for some reasons felt I didn't deserve to have any parent at 19. He must have had the same take on the issue as some relatives, “you are now a man” they said. Or when I lost my mum who succumbed to illness leaving behind a 6 year old. On both occasions though, I didn't shed a single tear. Not because I was a man, but because in my head we had talked and agreed that crying will not help make the situation any better. Living most of your childhood in your head and most of your adult life struggling alone, certain things no longer faze you. So when I got a call from my Network provider that my SIM card which I had registered some 10 years ago was no longer registered in my name, I was not shocked. I mean, you will think that being a faithful customer for that long would at least count for something. “We have reshuffled registration”, whatever that meant in English, and I was told that if I didn't go to their office to repair a damage that they had caused, in 4 days, I would be barred from using any of their services. I had woken up that morning reluctantly but patiently bullying myself through the whole preparations that humans have deemed necessary for mixing with a crowd; Bathe, brush, dress up (I wonder who made these rules) optimistic that by the end of the day, I will own my SIM once again. I had tried to work out the meaning of reshuffling registration in my head for 3 days now with no success. So I put on my face mask, and set out not knowing that life had planned another lesson to teach. As I sat watching people go in and out of their office, trying to connect the dots on what has been happening to no avail; I turned to the lady beside me. She had eyes that reminded me of Angelina Jolie. A constellation that drowns you with a wave of its reflection. Like a sea and with just as much surface tension. Yes, I have a thing for eyes. So since I was confused and she had those galaxies on her face, I tried to kill the proverbial two birds with one stone. I will get direction on what to do, and start a conversation. I asked her how the process was organized, to which she chuckled, pointed to a paper and said “put down your name”, after which she turned back to her phone. Being very teachable, I learnt from that moment, that there were simple things of life that even the smartest person can only grasp by gleaning from the experiences of others. So for me today Christmas came but without Santa's gifts.

Bihar a land where Gandhi started Champaran Satyagraha in support of indigo farmers, has history of producing roaring politician Jaiprakash Narayan who lead the mid 1970s opposition against prime minister Indira Gandhi, also called JP movement, is now bound with caste politics and where health ministers ask what's the death score in infant mortality. Our politicians, the bureaucrats and we as the society had only been pretence towards the cruelty our countrymen goes through. It is heart wrenching to see how our government's policies had been collapsing and have not reached out to those in need, these policies being made for. One sunny day I was heading towards the grocery store to get some food items although it's completely locked down in my state, some essential facilities are open for people. when standing in the line for social distancing, I saw a middle aged man wearing a mask stepping outside a ramshackle house in a weird way. I found it suspicious to believe someone would ever walk out of their house like this. Few minutes passed by, and I saw two women rushing out, that same house shouting and screaming. They were robbed while taking their midday sleep. The occurrence gave me flashbacks when my laptop and mobile phone got stolen from my room. That incident was more strange than shocking to me, that robbery made me think how courageous that man was to rob her house in the time when everybody is in their house because of lockdown, or he was more hungry to pilfer things because he needs it. It was raining the other day, so I went to the balcony to see outside. While glancing over my locality I saw a man sitting in a rickshaw shivering, I was first not sure whether or not to step out of my house but that feeble man's situation made me take steps towards him. I took a bowl full of rice and dal along with me. While going near him I realised that he is the same man who robbed that house midday, that frightened me but with doubt in my head and fear in my heart I anyhow reached him and offered him the bowl. He hesitated at first then accepted it, after he finished his bowl I tried to establish some talk and we talked about various things going around because of coronavirus and lockdown, I couldn't resist myself but asked him about that day of robbery. Firstly he equivocated but then confessed and started crying. He said his name is Radhe and he was just a regular rickshaw driver in around our area but because of lockdown he lost his job and his supply to food and shelter is not certain, he has no money and have no job so left with only option to rob, rob to feed both him and his childrens. We both had tears in our eyes after listening to his problems. Weeks passed by, but I was not able to take that incident out of my head every time I had my meal. I could not help but to think about him and so many more exactly like him, even worse. I could not have just relaxed inside my house and watched people like him suffer, after all their well-being is our responsibility. So I talked to my parents about those things happening and decided to help them in any way possible, either by providing them with food or giving them blankets and temporary shelter in our garage, we did it with complete passion. But I couldn't find Radhe, as he was already weak I feared if he died. Then one day I saw him sitting around the corner in his rickshaw smoking weed, I went to him to ask if he ate anything. He ate almost nothing since three days and has been starving from hunger, so I invited him to my place and gave him food and then we started talking about what he is going to do next and what his future plan about his childrens. He had no positive answer but worry in his eyes. So I proffered his meal along with his childers at my place until he gets his job back. I could sense the relief in his eyes, for him that was everything but for me it was just a help who needs it, so now he can focus on his family and arrange some source of income. We know this pandemic has made our economy crawl on knees but let's not forget these unnamed people around us keeping our city clean or roadside vendors or even daily wage labour, let's be more human toward them and let us restore their believe in humanity because as Mahatma Gandhi said "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others"

As you float stranded in the middle of the ocean, no one else in sight. Locked away from the outside world, prohibited accesses to any face to face contact. Alone. Drowning in a body of water as reckless waves continue to push you further down in the darkness. We lived what felt like normal life onshore, in the sand, no water nearby. Going to school five days a week, partaking in sporting events and extracurriculars, working a 9-5 job on the weekends to make a little extra money. We lived our normal life. Until everyone was unexpectedly thrown into the ocean, the waves from the water were fun at first. We'd only be in the water for a short time, vacation at most, a break from reality. It would all be done soon enough and life would return to our normal. But, as countless days passed, we began to feel isolated in the middle of the ocean. Nowhere to go and no new surroundings to see. As we roll into week 17 of our so-called “vacation”, we are drowning. The water begins pulling us in deeper and deeper down, drowning in nothing but our own thoughts and emotions. Mental health issues strick an ultimate high with 45% more people now struggling with these issues because of this ocean. As we take our last breath of normal life, the water drags us down into a dark, unknown place. Depression, anxiety, substance abuse, comes crashing down on us like the waves of the ocean eliminating our ability to even grasp a breath of our passed normal life. The waves continue to pummel in, one after another, crashing down harder by the second. Unemployment, increase in COVID numbers, even the death of loved ones, all strike you further down into the water. You are now the farthest down in the dark you've even been. Experiencing thoughts like never before. Just you, alone, in the middle of the bottom of the ocean, no grasp of what it feels like to breathe normal air. Day by day new waves push you down more into the dark waters but you are not even affected anymore. You don't struggle, don't try to even attempt to not sink down. You go into the darkness making no effort to fight the pain of drowning. Some days you get pushed onto the shore, a little light in your life. Life feels so surreal, there is not a worldwide pandemic, but instead just you and your best friend. A taste of what normal life once felt like, a day outside with friends, funny jokes with your mom, finally finishing that show you binge-watched, but no matter how hard you try to stay in that moment forever. How hard you fight back to get your normal again the waves always will pull you back into the water. Bring you back down into that darkness of the ocean, alone, again. As you reach the surface of the water you can see the horizon, you can see normal life again. The life that we took for such guaranteed but would do anything to be able to breathe a single breath of that normal life just once. But the uncertainty strikes your eyes like fear. Having absolutely no idea when you will be able to reach that horizon? How far away it is? When will life every be so-called normal again? When will we be able to make it back to the horizon? But you have to continue to swim to try to make it there, day by day, because no matter the uncertainty, we will make it to that horizon. No matter how long it takes or what roadblocks come your way, eventually, you will. You will make it to that horizon. Be able to breathe than normal air, onshore, with no waves to pull you into that darkness that once overtook your mind. Eventually, we will be normal again, do not let the fear and uncertainty overcome the optimism.

Connecticut, Stoneybrook. Through the windows; Maryanne; If anyone had told me it would be the last time i would see her i would have hugged her tightly and smelt her lovely lavender-scented perfume. She was my only.............. If only i wasn't so mad, i would have seen through her the pain she felt. I should have comforted and acted more like a daughter rather than a critic. I should have listened rather than just assumed. She was my only................ Where is Sylvie? Where is my only? S he coughed for her life through the phone calls we had, she told me of her difficulty breathing. i was too blind and angry with her too notice. Oh Sylvie, If i knew it would be the last time i'd see you fall asleep, i would tuck you in more lightly and pray the lord your soul to keep. If i knew it would be the last time that i see you walk out the door, i would give you a kiss and a hug and call you back for one more. If i knew it would be the last time, I could spare an extra minute or two to stop and say "i love you" instead of assuming you would know i do. She was my Only....................... The pain will remain with me forever. It's true what they say you"ll never know how important someone is truly to you until you lose them. Sylvie was my Only. Sylvie Andrews died June 15 due to corona virus, leaving her sixteen year old daughter Isabel and her second husband Mitch. Alabama, Montgomery. Through the windows; Adriana; Baby sitting has now become my constant job. Now going back to school with nerds like Billy or Nathan doesn't sound so bad. Never in my life would i ever have thought i could miss school so much, but i do now. My best friend is far away in Atlanta, we only talk on phone and i'm longing to see her in person. My mum told me that nothing of this sort had happened when she was a teen, that schools had to be closed down because of a viral disease. I also learnt that it was at times like this that one needed God. I clearly remember the story of Keith Simpson. FLASHBACK Keith Simpson was a fifty-two year old single father who was also a covid 19 patient. He met with Max Andres a doctor while at the hospital Max preached Jesus to Keith. Keith ignored for a very long time not wanting to get involved with 'religious fanatics'. On the third of April, Max shared Romans 6: 23 with Keith and he accepted Jesus. That same night Keith had a special encounter He said he felt someone open his room door and a man walked in, he said the man smelt of joy, peace hope and love. He said the man gave him hope and faith and the man touched his head and went out o the room. On July 6th Keith was discharged This story touched a lot of people, and people began getting saved, for 1st Peter 2: 24 explains it all. It touched lives so much that Elizabeth a ninety-two year old woman hoped on in faith for her affected son and he was miraculously healed when the doctors had written him off as good as dead. A short story The Power of worries Death was walking towards a city one morning and a man asked "what are you going to do?" " i'm going to take 100 people" Death replied." that's horrible" the man said. " that's the way it is , that's what i do". The man hurried to warn everyone he could about Death's plan. As evening fell, he met Death again. " you told me you were going to take 100 people, why did 1000 die?" the man asked " i kept my word" Death responded. " i only took 100 people, worry took the others." This interesting tale portrays so well what the National Mental Health Committee reported a few years ago, half of the people in America's hospital bed are constant worriers. F-false E-evidence A-appearing R-real FEAR IS A KILLER A Poem The Tale of Two We all tremble with fear wondering what's next this pandemic is clear doesn't need to text We've passes through tougher times just as we stuck together we've seen much in our primes this won't last forever (let us arise earth save our place of birth) It's time for us to awake not considering gender let's get up for goodness sake not minding how tender No racial, background or cultural discrimination no state is safe or sound neither is any nation ( let us arise earth save our place of birth) Let us hold hands for together, we are stronger stand to protect our lands cause tough times, don't last forever by Evangel Covenant E morinken

I've always been creative and loved making something with my own hands. My speciality was handmade cards, that everyone was just delighted with. I made them in a unique way - I probably put in them more of my childlike soul than I could bear. Everyone always said that my postcards have some kind of special power to instantly warm the soul and cheer up the person. People valued them more than any other purchased postcard or gift, which gave me great pleasure. It was more than just a hobby for me - I lived by it. While making a postcard, I always imagined how joyful the person I would give it to would feel. But at some point it all had stopped. I was involved in professional sports and I didn't have enough time for anything extra. It coincided with me being in my teens, so, naturally, I was not thinking about the design and contents of postcards. My head was occupied with myself and my future. This year, around mid-March I was in extreme anxiety because of a summative assignment of mine in physics. Why was I agitated? Because I was in 10th grade, which meant that I was just a year away from college enrollment and I ought to have excellent grades for my GPA. At that fertile days when life was in full swing, streets were changing from buoyant to sleepy, but have never stopped, my thoughts were the same, same mad and incessant. My head was stuck with a myriad of “to do” lists. My life was in a constant motion and rush that I even forgot to keep contact with my relatives that I don't see that often. It can be bizarre, but my neighbors are my relatives: my grandma, uncle, auntie and little cousin who live just a floor above. Unbeknownst to me, I stopped caring about people close to me like I did in childhood, when I wanted to make everyone happy. All of a sudden, everything changed. My uncle suddenly got sick and despite our high hopes, he was diagnosed with COVID-19 and there was no room for him in the hospital. He was told to go to IVs every morning and isolate himself from everyone. Fortunately, their family had just bought a new apartment, a floor below ours, and my uncle moved in there so as not to infect his family. Thus, he was left all alone, sick, in a freshly bought, unequipped and lonely apartment. My uncle is a very reserved man by nature. If I ever ask him how he is doing and add a multitude of emojis to the message, he would reply with a dry "I'm okay" at best, but in most cases he simply may not answer. Therefore, when he fell ill, no matter how much I texted him, he wouldn't answer, since he was far from the phone. At those dreadful moments I didn't think about anything except my uncle. I didn't know how to help him. I felt like a child again with a deep desire to somehow mitigate his pain, suffering and loneliness. And it was then that I remembered about my childhood passion - making special postcards that have the unique power to emotionally heal and make people feel warmth, thereby showing that I'm close, although, in fact, I'm not. So, I cooked my uncle's favorite dish, laid it out in different plastic food containers and pasted animal-shaped stickers with warm wishes on each one. Then I went downstairs to hang a bag of food on the front door handle and in a second I was already back home. I couldn't believe it, but the next day, when my mother brought the containers back, my stickers were still there, but on the adhesive side there was something scribbled down: “Thank you. I hope you will bring me lunch every day.” With a smiley face at the end. But I understood that it was not about food. Since then, every day has passed like this: I left notes on food containers for my uncle, but now I received the notes back with a grateful response, and I definitely felt warmth and reciprocity from them. Fortunately, my uncle recovered soon after. I felt that I recovered with him, namely, it seemed the deceased childlike part of me was reborn. Thanks to that child's innocence, eagerness to help, devoid of any anger and negativity, everyone smiled and felt their problems alleviated, even just for a moment. I realized that our fast evolving world tempts us to chase after everything new and trendy and beckons us with its mellifluous scent so that we set the wrong priorities in life and forget about the most important things. I now definitely know that I'll continue my special “business” of making my unique postcards and teach this extraordinary art to my children. Behind that childish hobby is hidden a true path to salvation from the present, which intoxicates us and makes us completely forget about past values. Thus, a sudden outbreak of a terrible disease, no matter how contradictory it may sound, saved both my uncle and me. It dawned on me that my WhatsApp messages would never be deposited in my uncle's head, but something will remain in his heart for life: he'll always remember my notes on food containers, endowed with hope for salvation and happiness.

I remember seeing a mask ad in Youtube for the first time: A stylish models, wearing black suits, wore black, shiny, silky masks. The kinds that Posh Spice or Beyonce would've chosen if they had been mask shopping. It was January 2020 and the ad made me think of sci-fi movies. Little did I know that only few months from this, I would be ordering a third set of masks for my family and felt completely normal about it. I had already unwrapped some N95 masks, which we had in storage in case of yearly forest fires. They are safe for sure, but felt so thick, it would leave one gasping for air. Poor me for having to wear one just to get some groceries. Shortly after, I watched a news clip of worn out doctors and nurses. I realized what a luxury it would be for them, to have a 20 minute super market visit to be the toughest point of their day. Or even to have something proper to protect them, as I read the masks were then in shortage. Whilst working crazy hours, they were simply hoping to stay safe somehow, to be able to go back to their families healthy. Shame on me. Within time, I also started to felt normal about home schooling my children. First, I was (too) perky mom with my folders, Zoom sound checks and scheduled snacks. A woman on a mission if you will: “We can do this, kids!”, “Don't worry, I'm here to help you.”, “You know guys, this might actually end up being fun!” In the mornings I would send them to play outside, sip my coffee and stare at the oven clock like a missile countdown: How many minutes would I have peace with my darling, warm mug, before the Zooms, one on ones, writing, math and reading exercises would begin? What perk do I use to reward our younger son today, so he would pay attention to read alongs? Later during the spring, I learned how many parents didn't have those few minutes to sip their coffees. They also did not have the chance to help their children, as they would have to work outside their homes: doing essential work, health care, scanning products in the store, plumbing and delivering take outs. Having arrived to US with family visa and no work permit, I had all the time to help my kids. We had internet connection. I could read and write English. We could afford food. And all I had to do was to put up with some tantrums? Shame on me. So, we stayed home. We shared all the quarantine memes and videos, as they were so relatable - thinking having nothing to do except to look outside from our window, felt like we were being punished. Where are the children´s soccer practices? Where are the playdates? So sorry for my husband to miss a fun trip he was waiting! How unlucky all these inconveniences were! Shame on me. Now, looking back on spring 2020, the isolation was actually more than doable. All the hikes at same paths and same bike rides around the same town might not have been eventful, but we haven´t lacked anything. We have been healthy; my husband was one of the lucky ones to keep his job and none of our friends or family members were dangerously infected with covid-19. What has not been easy, has been having to watch in the mirror and realize how good and safe we have had it, whilst others have not. Thousands of people have been jeopardized to a deadly virus by their profession. Thousands have lost their loved ones, jobs, health and even homes. Families have been torn apart from one continent ao another because of travel bans. Old people have died alone in nursing home and their families have not been able to attend to their funerals. The news have been so overwhelming, that it has been easy to feel shame of not really losing anything, whilst others have lost so much. Feeling empathy for others has been easy. Feeling empathy toward yourself has been harder than ever. No amount of Zooming your loved ones, cooking, staying home, sanitizing, wiping, home schooling or donating would scrub the headlines easier to read. As my steps got heavier, I realized nobody would benefit if I would start and end my day by emotionally punishing myself for sometimes openly longing the normal days. Carefully, I decided to change my strategy and invite the woman in the mirror to rest under thoughts of empathy as well. As our neighbourhood gathered to show respect to health care workers and we had showered the teachers with appreciation and thanks after using their amazing super powers over the spring, I dared to whisper a little thank you to myself as well: “You can be tired of this mess too. You did the best you could, that's enough for today.” When the need of care is at its highest, showing love and respect towards others – but also yourself qualifies as essential work. Shame on me, if I ever forget it again.

Like all of you know, the world is currently being shaken by the coronavirus pandemic. Many people have to quarantine themselves in their houses so that the virus doesn't spread widely as the number of infected people continues to grow. Dreadful news is spread everywhere on the television or even on social media. Doctors and medical nurses also continue to cure patients even to the point where many of them become infected. Unfortunately, I understand a bit about what is going on these days because of my horrifying experience 9 years ago. When I was 6 years old, my life was suddenly at death's door. I was looking forward to the zoo trip in 4 days but suddenly, I became very ill. My parents brought me to the doctor and in his terrifying room, I was diagnosed with a very contagious and dangerous disease. Diphtheria. To be honest, I had no idea what was happening at that time because I didn't understand the conversation between the doctor and my parents. The funny thing is, I even thought that it was my mother or my father who was sick because it was the first time I saw my parents cry in front of me. I was rushed to the hospital because my doctor said that if I didn't get medicine right away, they had to bring me to surgery so I could breathe normally and had enough oxygen. The moment that made me understood that I was the sick person was when the nurse stuck IV fluids into my hand and I cried hysterically. I was barely breathing, I lost count how many times I vomit that day, and every inch of my body hurt. I was very scared, I didn't want to die but I thought that I would die that day. I was quarantined in a small isolation room, my mother and I stuck in the room for 14 days. I was so weak, I only slept, watched TV, or stared at the only window where I could see the other isolation rooms, with other fighters in it. After 3 days of being quarantined, I saw a boy who was a year older than me, and he was going into his isolation room. He was smiling at me. It turns out that we were fighting the same disease, and his room was 20 feet away from my room. Since we met that day, we got to know each other and continued to communicate using papers and markers. Even though we couldn't meet in person, we were very eager to talk to each other because we were very bored in the room. We write words of encouragement to strengthen one another, but also complaints about our condition at that time. But mostly, I was very happy that I was not going through this alone. Every day, there would be nurse or doctors came in wearing PPE clothes to check on me, or just to give me food. Some of them were friendly and some of them were not. But there was one nurse who I adored entirely. While the other nurses entered my room just to do their jobs and didn't care how I was feeling, this nurse was very patient, she would always say loving words to make me stronger, and she usually hugged me before she did her job. I felt the comfort and the calming sincerity which strengthen me to fight this disease and be a normal person again. I didn't know why that nurse wanted to be very kind to me, but the small thing that she did had a big impact on me. In fact, I will forever owe her and remember her in my heart. While I was still quarantined in the isolation room, my father and my brother would communicate with me using Face time, they would tell me stories and their activities every day, I missed them dearly. My classmate also sent me a few letters with their prayers written there. I was very grateful that even tough in my dreadful condition, there were many people who care about me, and didn't leave me. Until this day, I still hope that this dreadful experience didn't happen to me but whatever I do, I can't go back and change the past. But when I see it from the bright side, that dreadful experience made me realized how valuable the life I am living in, and also the life that could end anytime unexpectedly. I realized that I have to make the most of every moment for the rest of my life. I learn to respect and love others sincerely, like everyone that made me overcome my difficult times. This world will be very beautiful with tolerance and affection. Every day, I say ‘I love you' to my parents before going to bed. Maybe saying ‘'I love you' is a simple thing to do, but those 3 words contain a very deep meaning and can bring a big "impact" to others. Love gives the strength to transform pain into power. Love is the key that we need to get through anything, including this corona virus pandemic.

Coronavirus is a virus that first emerged in Wuhan, China. A whole global pandemic is going on, and it has affected everyone's life in various ways. The whole world is locked down, and no normal life activity is the same as before. We all are living a quarantine life i.e. a state, period, or place of isolation in which people or animals that have arrived here from elsewhere or been exposed to the infectious or contagious disease are placed. Let's utilize this time and get a hold of ourselves. Change your thought and perspective about quarantine life. Instead of feeling like you are locked up, think about all the amazing things you can do during this pandemic. Of course, amazing things inside your home! “Stay Home, Stay Safe” During this lockdown, observe your surroundings. Feel the beauty of nature, water your indoor plants, look after yourself, take care of yourself, look out of the window, enjoy and observe the view. You don't enjoy observing the view outside your window? No problem! Enter the world of imagination and close your eyes to think about a beautiful place that you have visited or a made-up place in your mind. Or you can make your window view better by adding some decoration pieces or plants. Due to Covid-19 gyms are closed. Some people working out at home is quite hard. Some people may lack equipment, and some may require motivation. For the people who lack equipment such as lifting weights and treadmill, YouTube has an endless list of work out videos without any equipment. All you need to do is find the right video for yourself and set up your workout routine! Another thing for a daily activity that has been disturbed due to this pandemic is going to school, college, university, and offices. Assignments, homework, lectures are all now being held online. Some people think that online classes are not as effective. It has its pros and cons. Pros: no need to travel, the comfort of being at home, not having to dress up for school, and the list go on. Cons are that not every student gets the same attention as they did in a classroom and financial issues due to the pandemic. You might be familiar with the zoom app and google classroom if you have been attending your online classes. Both of these apps are a medium of file transferring and communicating between students and teachers. Let's discuss some life outside our homes. Our neighbors, who are also quarantine due to this whole pandemic situation, are going through the same experience as we are. Maybe they are going through some hardships (be it financially or emotionally). As said by many people, "your duty towards your neighbor is to aid him in times of difficulty, to offer him sincere advice, and to protect him and his property in his absence." COVID-19 symptoms and how to prevent it According to studies, the virus has an incubation period of 2 weeks, and after that, the symptoms appear. Most common symptoms • Fever • Dry cough • Tiredness Less common symptoms • Aches and pains • Sore throat • Diarrhea • Headache • Conjunctivitis • Loss of taste and smell • Discoloration of fingers, toes, etc. Here is a list of severing symptoms: • difficulty breathing or shortness of breath • chest pain or pressure • loss of speech or movement If you are facing these major symptoms and if it is getting worse, seek medical assistance, and do not rely on self-medication. If your symptoms are mild and can be taken care of at home, then stay at home and treat the virus. But do you know what's better than treatment? Prevention. Here are some precautionary measures which are suggested by health organizations: 1. Wash your hands with soap and water or use a hand sanitizer whenever you come in contact with a person or an object from outside. 2. Maintain social distancing by keeping a safe distance from anyone who is coughing or sneezing. 3. Wear a mask that covers your nose and mouth when you are visiting places such as grocery stores, etc. 4. Stay home if you are unwell. Seek medical assistance if symptoms of coronavirus are visible. 5. Sneeze and cough into your elbow. If you have any sick family members and friends at the hospital, stay strong, and keep on checking on them by texting them or calling them and letting them know that you are always there for them. Encourage them to be strong and that they can overcome the virus. If you have any sick family members or friends with mild virus symptoms, then look after them as a health care provider. Maintain social distance but do not make them feel isolated and alone. Support them emotionally and look after their diet. If, unfortunately, you lose a friend, pray for their soul and their family. Support their family emotionally through these hard times. I will like to conclude the article by suggesting you stay home and stay safe. Find some indoor activities to keep you busy and entertained.

A story that provides information to young children (7 and older) about the Corona Virus (Covid-19). THE VIRONAUT Sami had fun talking about ‘adventures' in his class. “Adventures are exciting activities,” the teacher explained. That evening Sami's mom announced that schools would close because of corona virus, also called Covid-19. “What is corona virus?” Sami asked. “It's a harmful virus or germ that makes people sick as in colds and flu. Corona virus makes some people very sick,” mom explained. “Why close schools, Mom?” Sami asked. “When people come close to one another, corona virus spreads fast. When people stay at home, they are safe. The virus stops spreading,” Mom said. “How?” Sami asked. “When a person sneezes, coughs or spits, the droplets fall on another person, who can then get sick. The germs also fall and stay on surfaces like tables, books, pens or handrails. The corona virus lives for days on surfaces,” Mom explained. “So, there can be corona viruses on surfaces at grocery stores or drugstores too, right?” Sami asked. “Yes. That's why when we go out, we stay at a distance from people and try not to touch surfaces,” Mom replied. “What if the virus gets on our hands anyway? Sami asked. “That's why every time we come back, we wash our hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If there is no soap and water, we use hand sanitizer,” said Mom. “One more thing,” Mom said. “Stop touching your face with your hands. If you do, the virus on your hands will enter your body through your nose, eyes, ears or mouth.” “Can we look at a person and tell if he or she has the corona virus?” Sami asked. “People who look well can still be carriers of the virus. They can infect another person in the same way as someone who is sick with the virus,” said Mom. “But what will we do at home with no school?” Sami asked. “We'll follow the school routine,” Mom said. “But once school work is done, you are free to do anything you want,” Mom said. “After I finish schoolwork, I'll be a vironaut and have adventures! I'll kill all the corona virus germs!” Sami announced. Mom made Sami a vironaut costume with a mask and gloves. As soon as Sami completed his schoolwork, he put on the costume. “Virrrooom!” he called out and was ready for viroaction. The doorbell rang. He ran down just as Mom opened the door. There was a package on the doorstep. “Wait,” Sami told Mom. “Virrrooom!” Sami called out, zoomed and got a pack of disinfectant wipes and a pair of latex gloves. “Mom, put on these gloves and wipe the package first,” said Sami Mom did. She opened the package and took out a rug. “For you,” she said. Sami unrolled the rug and saw numbers on it. “It's a hopscotch rug!” Sami exclaimed. Mom put the rug in the family room. “Virrroom! This is fun!” Sami played hopscotch. “Let's walk to the park,” Mom said. “Wait Mom,” said Sami. “Virrrooom!” Sami dashed to get disinfectant wipes. At the park, Sami cleaned the bench for his mom. He cleaned the swing seat and the chains before sitting on it. There were two other people in the park. They kept their distances from one another. “I'm happy we both got some exercise. Exercise keeps the body strong to fight the corona virus,” Mom reminded Sami. They walked home. “Virrrooom! Hand washing time!” Sami announced. “Lets do the virocount to make sure we wash for 20 seconds.” As they washed, Mom and Sami repeated, ‘vi-ro-naut 1, vi-ro-naut 2 until they reached vi-ro-naut 10'. It took them 20 seconds. They washed between fingers and under their nails. They washed up to their wrists. Sami was still in his vironaut costume when Dad came home. “Do I know you?” Dad asked. “I'm a vironaut, a killer of bad viruses! Virrrooom! Dad, come, I'll show you how to virowash your hands,” Sami said. At dinner, Sami looked at his plate and saw broccoli in it. He wanted to say no to broccoli but today Sami was a vironaut. He must eat healthy. “Virrrooom!” Sami finished the chicken, potatoes and broccoli. Mom asked, “Sami, what would you like for dessert?” “Virrrooom! Fresh fruit please,” said the vironaut. The day's adventures had made Sami sleepy. Mom and dad came to say goodnight. “Virrrooom!” said Sami and fell asleep.