Taking a breath

Right now, it seems like everything is being cancelled. Along with the cancellation of the things we looked forward to, though, we were also let off the hook for some more stressful commitments. Our busy, overbooked lives have been put on hold. In the midst of our non-stop monotony, we’ve been given a chance to breathe.

It isn’t an ideal situation. My heart goes out to everyone who’s in crisis right now, but amid the crises, there are people taking up old hobbies, calling up old friends, and being relieved of manic schedules. 

It took a global pandemic to do it, but a lot of us are living a little more simply now. If you’re lucky enough to not have lost a job or a loved one, or your own health during this time, take a moment to breathe. You’re okay. Your world hasn’t ended; it’s been put on pause. 

When social isolation rules relax, I think that I’ll value the time I have with people more, knowing how much I would miss them if this happened again. I think that we’ll all commit ourselves a little more sparingly after having the freedom of so many fewer commitments. 

I never could have expected or prepared for everything that’s happening right now, but I’m trying to see it as a blessing. Classes are shorter, I’m not commuting, and I don’t have any real distractions. I have so much time to spend the way I want, and so much time to breathe. 

Naomi Boonstra, Student Editor

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