Written by Leanne Josh Dinglasan

We welcomed the year with warm greetings and hope for new beginnings. Little

do we know that that is not exactly what is in store for all of us. It was March when

everything came to a halt. Days turned to weeks. Weeks turned to months. For seven

months now, we continue to fall into this abyss of isolation with the end nowhere in

sight. We stay inside to keep ourselves away from the dangers of the virus, but inside

we also have our silent battles. It is even harder to protect us from our own selves.

Every day is just another version of yesterday, but emptier and lonelier. As social

beings, being in isolation is grueling. The pandemic just amplified the reality that even in

this age of technology, our longing for physical interactions has not faded for a bit. I

never put much thought into how bleak life can be until now. Hours are withering away,

but I feel so stagnant and helpless. What is the purpose of all this? Where will all this

lead?

We keep ourselves busy during the day to distract our minds from the uncertainty

of it all. The smell of food cooking wafts through the air and fills the kitchen. The book’s

pages make a rustling sound as you lose yourself in the story. The pen scratches the

paper of your journal softly as you pour your heart into it. You make clicking sounds as

you type onto your laptop the name of the show you are bingeing. You close your eyes

and sing in your head the lines of your favorite song. But even all these can’t keep away

from the thoughts that lurk in the stillness of the night. The bed looks so inviting, but

even after long hours of slumber, the restlessness is still present. The reality seeps in

that today is just one of the many other days we will be spending inside. In this solitude,

I cannot bring myself to not regret how much I took for granted the simple joys in life.

Being able to bask in the warmth of the sun in the morning. To be able to go on

unplanned strolls with friends and laugh until you are short of breath. To be able to eat

outside with your family. To feel the cool evening breeze brush on your face as you

travel with the windows down at night. To hug someone after you have not seen each

other in a while.

All this pushed me to reflect and remind myself of what matters most. All those

small, simple moments come together and constitute life. We never know how fast

things can change so treat every second as precious. To you who try your best to get

through each day, I am proud of you. We are all in this together at this difficult time.