Memories That Will Never Fade

Photo by Cleveland Clinic Health Essential

Simon Scott opinion; “Pandemic Memories Will Stay with Our Children” rings the alarm on sadness and hopefulness. Memories are precious and fleeting for all of us, but childhood memories are especially cherished. We reflect on them in young adulthood well into our senior years. The absence of fun memories due to illness, pandemic and the after effects is troubling and sad. Children have been robbed of the opportunity to create beautiful memories as a result of being isolated, death experiences and limited school involvement.

These changes accord as a result of COVID-19. COVID-19 devasted America and the world. The number of deaths rose close to 1 million and the cost included projective. According to former Treasury Secretary Lanier Summon and Harvard University Economist David Cutler projected. “Cost for the coronavirus pandemic would exceed 16 trillion dollars.” As a consequence, the effect on children is immeasurable.

This is a sad commentary. Children could not freely play together without extreme precautions. Socialization is key to healthy growth and development and our children are missing out on so much. Many of these activities we took for granted pre pandemic. For example, sitting next to a peer in a classroom, playing sports, going to a movie theatre, amusement parks, local parks and church. These activities helped shape our children culturally, spiritually and socially. These are all losses that cannot be regained because we cannot turn back the hand of time. While children have experienced tremendous sadness, hope is not lost.

Kids reflect on the COVID-19 pandemic — YouTube

The pandemic taught a lot of us, including children, how to be strong in the face of sickness and death and how to be resilient in the face of uncertainty and crises. Children loss parents, siblings, grandparents, church members and friends. Grieving these losses took a tremendous toll on children and the last affects continue to show in their school work and behaviors. Mental health, in some cases has been left unchecked and untreated.

There is hope for a better tomorrow in the schools. Schools are removing individual shields in the seating area. That is a sign of hopefulness. Sports are back with a blast. Children are enjoying playing at the park, theatres and park are open and free. Children are free to hang out and enjoy their friends freely. Simon Scott did an excellent job sending the alarm on lasting memories as a result of the pandemic.

Brielle and Brooklyn Andrews enjoying fresh air at their brother’s soccer game.

Works Cited

Gandel, Stephen, “Pandemic’s total cost to America: 16 trillion. “Money Market. 13 October 2020” www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/pandemics.

CBC News: The National. “Kids Reflect on the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Youtube, uploaded by CBC News: The National, 24 Dec. 2020, www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JLSNVUirT4.