“I went to the grocery store this afternoon. As I was walking in, I heard a woman yell to me from her car. ‘We’re afraid to go in the store. We don’t have any family to help us.’ In tears, she handed me a $100 bill and a grocery list, and asked if I would be willing to buy her groceries.”
“I’m trying not to f-ing panic. I’m trying not to worry about vigilant 20-second hand washing, the lack of canned beans I have in the pantry, and especially the fact I only have 5 rolls of TP left in thehouse. My husband—the level-headed, responsible person, who would know just when to panic—isn’t here anymore. I’m the only one left.”
“Will I panic? No. But I’ll wash my hands. I’ll limit my running around town. And I’ll leave you some toilet paper on the shelf. If it affects you, Humankind, it affects me. I’m sorry for making myself bigger than you.”
“Recently, my daughter has experienced bullying at school. The people who have been unkind to her likely have no idea what we’ve been through the last 2 years. They just see a target and go after her relentlessly. This body has carried me through hell and back.”
“Kids are not going back to school like they did for fall break. If we rewind to November, none of this was remotely close to being on our radars. Isn’t it crazy how it all changes in the blink of an eye? Just as we plan for the flu yearly, we should prepare for Coronoavirus in the same manner. This does not mean doomsday prepping. Prepping is a community affair.”
“We were gearing up for an unforgettable weekend. Being pregnant with our miracle rainbow baby boy, gathering together with those we love most is extra special at this time. But we cancelled it. The risks far outweighed the reward.”
“I passed by people wearing gloves, and masks, and yes, hazmat suits. I am a former nurse. I also rely heavily on world leaders in situations such as these. If they say wash and keep social distancing, I follow suit. But there was something about the empty aisles, wiped clean of paper products and water bottles, that caused a tide of panic to rise in me. I checked out of Costco, and reality, and found myself aimlessly scrolling for solutions from the front seat of my car.”
“School is canceled, our spring break trip isn’t happening, and even sports are on hold. Let’s face it. I’m looking at a lot of time at home with these five kids.”
“We are in uncharted territory now. I’m almost certain we will remember this time – and how we came together, or didn’t – decades from now.”
“Today was the first day I felt the anxiety from the COVID-19 virus. I thought to myself, ‘What can I use in replacement of toilet paper?’ I have no shame in my game! A clean tush is a clean tush, regardless of how it got that way!”
