By: Gunnar Lehman
I hear my mom keep saying that extraordinary times call for extraordinary solutions. When you’re 10 years old, like I am, you really have no clue what that means. However, Natalie – that’s my mom – says people are born to innovate and invent and she has no doubt the problems caused by this COVID-19 coronavirus will be solved one day. When you’re 10 years old, you hope that is true.
This week Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced that schools will remain closed for the remainder of the school year due to the coronavirus. When you’re 10 years old, you want to be with your friends. You want to play games at recess. You want to talk to one another over your peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. You want to be a normal kid. So, when the Governor made his announcement about the schools, I felt sad. It wasn’t the kind of sad like you have when your dog runs away or the kind of sad when your bike gets a flat tire. It was the kind of sad that feels like disappointment.
As much as I want to be a normal kid who goes to school, I’m here learning online. I miss my classroom. I miss the other students. I miss the way Miss Kale sounds when she reads to us aloud (even though she has online activities, it’s still not the same). During this time – you know the one my mom says is extraordinary – many things have happened. The lowest point so far is that my grandfather passed away. He was a really good person and he knew how to fix anything. I’m certainly going to miss him. The best part of my time has been able to spend the days and nights with my sister and my mom.
During this time, I’ve also dreamt of many things. My imagination takes hold of me sometimes. From this shutdown, I heard that pollution is lower in Los Angeles, California. I’ve thought of ways for people to be mobile and conserve the environment. Maybe those hoverboards I saw on Back to the Future is a smart idea after all! I thought of a way to make your own toilet paper, but I soon flushed that idea. I’ve thought of new video game themes, too.
When you’re 10 and forced to be quarantined, the one thing you really like to dream about is when we get to go back to school. So, here I am – at home and social distancing – wondering how the world is going to change. Will I be able to go to camp? Will I be able to play soccer this fall? Will I be able to play with my friends again? Will I be able to visit my extended family soon? Will we be able to go back to West Liberty-Salem Elementary this fall?
By staying home, fewer people are out and about, so the virus is less likely to spread. So, I am #stayingathome. I am #quarentineandchill while I’m watching National Treasure for the 20th time on Netflix. I am #doingfine because I have my family with me. I am #insafehands because I know there are many brave doctors and nurses helping people.
I am #flatteningthecurve by doing schoolwork at home. I am creating art with #chalkthewalk. When you’re 10 years old, you just have to trust your mom and believe her when she says someone somewhere will invent a cure to this and that one day we will be normal again.