Our Kids and Their Friends, Together Apart
It would’ve been so easy to just let them play or hug each other for a bit—heck, maybe even just a high five would do. I mean, they were literally a couple of feet apart and we’ve already traveled this far. But we held them back and we didn’t. It would’ve been reckless to do so.
Our kids and their friends haven’t seen each other for months now and I could tell how much they’ve missed each other the moment the windows came down. But ever since this pandemic started, our stance has always been to act as if we had the virus—to reduce exposure to others as much as we can to spare them.
And that’s exactly what we did.
Instead, we opted to let them see and talk to (ok, shout at) each other while maintaining distance, wearing their masks, and never setting their feet outside of the vehicles. We explained to them why this had to be the case.
It was a sad scene alright, but then we realized we’d rather be sad for now than miserable for a prolonged period because someone we knew—or our friends knew—contracted the virus. We knew we were not just responsible for our lives but for others’ as well.
It’s been 80-plus days since Metro Manila went on lockdown and I’m sure people have started to become tireless and uneasy—some even letting their guards down due to caution fatigue. But let’s remember that the threat of COVID-19 is as real as it was earlier this year. Let’s continue to stay vigilant not just for our own sake but for the sake of others as well.
Stay safe out there, you guys! ❤️