Dear Corona — California

Dear Corona,

You caused millions of traumatic experiences for families. You suck. I am being completely honest from the bottom of my heart. You’ve ruined a lot of things and I don’t want to sugarcoat it. You killed a lot across the globe. Though this might sound crazy, you are not all to blame. You are wild and angry. You are spiraling out of control. At the end of the day, you are the major problem on our hands right now, but I know that Mother Nature is not responsible for how we have handled it. We have people who are nothing more than ignorant fools. We have selfish individuals who refuse to wear masks or follow safety procedures that were put into place in hopes to ease the rate at which you have erupted within our society. We have had incompetent leaders in power who are unable to control a nationwide crisis and carry the responsibility of literally doing their job.

You have made our year scary. You have made us uncertain of what the future holds, but we should be held accountable as well. The people who care are working their hardest to heal Earth with loving arms. Healthcare workers are battling through rigorous obstacles on a daily basis. Teachers and students are persevering to maintain a stable education routine with the help of Zoom, and logical citizens like my peers and I are at home, trying to stay safe from the chaos happening around us. Millions of people are suffering due to this pandemic, but you have reminded us that there is hope. There will be better days. It is tough now but I am grateful for the subtle moments of joy quarantine has brought to my life. I receive happiness from the little interaction I have left with the outside world. Never have I ever been more attached to FaceTime or even online classes, just so I can see the faces of the people I use to hug every day. I am grateful for the chance you have given me to discover more about myself. With the extra time allotted from the lockdown, I learned a few new magic tricks such as how to dye my hair or craft the perfect winged eyeliner look. My time alone gave me a moment for me and me only. It was peace. Serenity.

While you are terrible, my life today would be unrecognizable if you had not occurred. We grow and let go of the past as time moves forward. We mature. You have separated us from the norms of everyday life and provided us with a moment to think. To breathe. A moment of silence. Each and every person on this planet is dealing with something of their own. We are battling with loss, mental illness, insecurities, stress, and a whole bunch of issues that make it all seem darker, but we still want to thank you. Thank you for giving us the motivation to come together. Thank you for making us lend each other a hand and help those in need. If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t necessarily realize how powerful we can be. As always, you suck, but every cloud has a silver lining. I am trying my best to make the most out of life with every chance I get. It was a nice stay and I learned a lot, but I really can’t wait for you to leave.

Truly,

Celine Qin, 14

Sacramento, California