COVID-19

Kaitlyn Ho, 11Media, PA Then and Now Kaitlyn Ho, 11 If I knew then what I know now I would have prepared for house arrest because of those crown-shaped bacteria those wrecking balls I would have told myself to enjoy every bit of food at our last restaurant to savor the laughter and spring clothes that I would get at the last mall But they felt like normal days the astonishing days full of surprises the days I took for granted when I could wonder What will happen next? But that’s gone now I know that things will never be the same That even after there are less cases and they find a vaccine No one will be willing to jump into ball pits anymore If this never happened now I would be shopping for summer dresses dancing with joy because my PSSAs are over and because I survived my first year at middle school I would be eating lots of ice cream Maybe I wouldn’t have discovered frozen grapes without with the help of house arrest If I was able to tell my past self to savor every colorful memory maybe then those memories like fluttering birds could have left me with some feathers of feeling licking gelato on the streets of Rome cool sweet gelato melting on my tongue washing away the heat like gentle rain on an aching body The memory of diving into the almost deep end of the pool calm swirling beams of light twisting through the blue water in contrast to the shaking inside That is how I remember If I knew then what I know now slammed behind the walls that were once my sanctuary I would prepare myself for the walks that remind me there is more than my house walking five miles the long walk in the woods lush greens grit and walking across clear rivers The neighborhood walk that isn’t even that long Crisp, cool air and dying petals falling like our voices on the silent streets The stripes of dirt on pink bike tires Walking isn’t just walking anymore Maybe if the me in the future came up to me right now and told me what was going to happen to this mess Perhaps I could know when this will all be over