Warning: Ranting warning from several teens.
In a previous blog post I gave my thoughts on COVID. That was three months ago and a lot has happened since then. In the world, and in my own personal life. To start, I finished my first semester of french school, and finished the third draft of my book, The Power Within. As I write this I am currently in the States. There were some visa issues so we had to leave Canada for the summer. Lord Willing, we will return to Canada in the fall for the final semester of French schooling.
But, I'm not here to give you an update on my life, I am here to talk more about COVID. Yeah yeah, I know that's what EVERYONE is only talking about these days (that and politics, but no, I'm not going there.) But everyone only talks about this problem. And I know that I am /so/ done with all the conversations about it. We go to have fun with our family, what do we talk about? COVID. We may go off of that topic for a little bit, but it always seems to end back up on that subject.
First off, it's not a crime to talk about COVID. you are allowed to talk about it. just don't let it consume your thoughts and life. We have reached a point where that is the only thing we talk about.
Now. We all know what all the adults have to say about this. Half say do this, and half say do that. But what about the kids? Why don't ever hear anything from their side? This effects them just as much as it affects the adults in this world.
For me, I had a writing workshop canceled, and a mission trip canceled. I was devastated. As someone that has gone through several hours a day in french studies, eight hours away from the closest friend, I was really looking forward to going to my writing workshop and see my friends in real life before going back to Canada to study more french. All my parents ever talked about (besides studying french of course) were conspiracies about COVID, and how it was just making things more difficult. It was beginning to get on my nerves. it still does get on my nerves now that it is beginning to spike again.
I'm not saying that this virus isn't dangerous, it can be to some people, but we are... exaggerating it just a little bit. (a lot bit. okay I lied) It's been proven multiple times that more people die of the flu every year that this virus has killed. Why aren't we concerned about the flu? I'm not even going to talk about masks. that will probably be another blog all in itself.
My aunt is the one who actually challenged me to write something like this, so I asked other teens to give me their opinions and thoughts about COVID and they all are pretty much tell the same story.
( author of this post has a blog here ---> https://juliawitmerblog.wordpress.com/ )
"Personally, I think it's important to have the conversation at some point, and maybe on and off throughout the months, or if some big change happens, but talking about it constantly, I've noticed, tends to just build up on fear and stress. Specifically, as Christians, I don't think our thoughts or every conversation should be taken up with COVID or politics or anything like that. We should definitely talk about them and have our opinions, but not obsess over them so much that we forget what's most important: God.
And I think that's why it bothers me most, maybe? Because, firstly, it's just a part of life now. And we don't talk about ANY other part of life this much - not sports, or music, or honestly even God (which we should, to a certain extent, on that last one to be honest). And secondly, I think by talking and thinking about it constantly, we run the risk of worrying about things that aren't within our control, which isn't good for us or our relationship with Christ.
Again, I want to emphasize that I don't think that there's anything wrong with talking about it sometimes, but all the time comes across as...obsessive, to me. And obsessions can become obstacles between us and our relationship with God.
But yeah I don't know that's just my thoughts"
Someone honestly put their thoughts in very simply and said "I think people are overacting"
Someone replied to their thought by saying "AGREED
But all aside, a lot of the “Covid deaths” aren’t even from Covid! I know a fire chief, and he goes to car accidents to do what fire people do and he said there was a group of people who died in a crash but they got marked down as “died of Covid”. So a lot of this stuff is ridiculous"
(author of this post has a blog here ---> prostorybuilders.com)
"People are overreacting, and I feel like the government isn't being honest and up front with us. The governor of California ordered a bunch of businesses to stay closed because of a spike in cases, but this happened right after a huge surge in CO-VID testing. When you test more people for CO-VID, you're going to get more "new" cases. I don't believe they're new cases, these are just the people who already carried the virus and just got tested for it.
One of the most irritating parts about shutdowns is that they always announce them at midnight. Nobody has time to prepare for them, and sometimes, we don't hear about a new shutdown for at least a week.
When I'm outdoors, I'm tired of strangers ordering me to wear a mask and stay six feet apart from people. I don't like being scolded by strangers, and I think CO-VID gives a lot of people an excuse to be rude to those who accidentally forget one of the new rules.
But the most upsetting thing is that California just closed down churches long-term. There's no rules and regulations that a church can follow in order to reopen, they just have to stay closed. I think it's really unfair for restaurants and bars to have a chance at reopening, when churches don't.
I'm going to school in Oklahoma, and in order for me to attend classes there, I have to be tested for CO-VID. I haven't experienced any symptoms, but if I get to school and I can't take classes there because I test positive, I'm going to be so mad. Nobody should care if I have the virus unless I'm having symptoms.
And to top it all off, if you don't wear a mask, or if you don't maintain SoCiAl DiStAnCiNg, people act like you're trying to kill them. I don't want anyone to die. But I have good reason to believe that if I don't wear a mask, the people around me are going to be okay. Plus, it's July. This is a strain of the flu. Flu season is over. We need to move on."
"Almost always for me, the past seems far better than the present. Maybe that's true, or maybe it's just how things look. I have been wrung dry with people who overexaggerate to the point of suffocation, and again with the people who joke about serious things. I know what is happening in our world, I don't need to be told again; just tell me a solution to the problem, and if you can't do that then don't try, please. Even still, don't just tell me what to do, but help me do it, and if you can't do that, then survive with me. Be there to remind me that Jesus is still in control, pray with me, let me know I'm still loved regardless of the circumstances, and be there when all I want to do is cry until I die. This is something I have always needed, only now have things pushed me over the edge.
Teenagers need someone they can go to and know they can trust that their relation to one another will be the same forever. Human beings need that to survive. Jesus Christ is the one who fits that description, but to be honest, it sure feels nice to be able to see that person with our earthly eyes.
I'm sure the devil is glad this chaos is pulling some people away from each other, planting a fear in some of our hearts for the rest of our lives, and stretching us to breaking point.
I know i need people, not a screen; reassurance, not confusion; encouragement, not discouragement; love, and not fear.
This is my piece."
"I would much rather have gotten the stupid virus and be sick for a couple weeks than be stuck in my house for months, cancel everything I was looking forward to, miss work, and have to cover my face whenever I enter a building. We have paid WAY too high a price for not getting a bad cough! Besides, wasn't the goal back in April to flatten the curve? Which we did, right? So why on earth is everything still shut down? I'm pretty sure most of us have been sick with worse colds! I had one last August that kept me coughing for two months. I pulled a muscle from coughing so much. Did the government force me to quarantine for that cold? No! So why do we have to now? Also, if I'm not sick, it's not quarantine. What we experienced in April was, in my opinion, house arrest. "
"Honestly, I'm confused most of the time. So many people are throwing conflicting opinions around, and I don't know what to believe.
We must wear masks. There's no point in wearing mask.
We have to worry about the economy. We shouldn't worry about the economy when people are dying.
We need to stop quarantining and start returning to life. If we stop quarantining, we're putting people's lives in danger.
I do know that I don't like it when people don't wear masks. Due to a recent resurgence in our county, it was enforced yesterday that people must wear masks in public. I currently work at a fast food restaurant, and it made me uncomfortable how many people didn't have masks, despite the new rule. Even if they did, most wore them wrong. Yes, I know they're uncomfortable and make it hard to order in. But also, if I get Covid, that's at least two weeks this summer that I won't be able to make money to pay for school. Which means I'd earn at least $500 less this summer. And if I get it during the school year, that's at least two weeks of online classes. I don't learn much in online classes. I'm not afraid of getting sick, but I am afraid of it messing up my life.
But I do know people who are afraid of getting sick because of health complications. And I don't want any deaths to happen either.
Personally, I do think people should start returning to "normal". I know that I, for one, am going to be miserable if I have to stay home from college this semester. Also, the economy is failing, which is another reason. However, there's no way we can do that if we don't follow rules set in place to protect us.
I know some think it's taking away their freedom, so they're protesting by not wearing masks, but is wearing a mask really that big of a deal?
Overall, however, I do believe that we should all be optimistic in these circumstances. Yes, bad stuff is happening. A LOT of bad stuff. However, some good is coming out of it. People are kinder to each other. People are spending more time with their families. People have time to explore their hobbies. So let's focus on the good. Besides, as a Christian, what do I have to fear? No matter what happens in my life, I know Jesus will always be with me."
(The author of this posthas a blog here ---> https://glorytannenbaum5.wixsite.com/gloryforthelord)
"I don’t like it when people downplay COVID-19 because I know it makes people very sick and has killed many (I know people are always talking about incorrect numbers and stuff, but the point is that people all over the globe /have/ died because of this. A man my brother used to work with got really sick from COVID-19. He was young and healthy, but it wrecked his body and he was on a ventilator for a long time). I know the threat is real, so I say social distance and wear masks and wash your hands well and stuff. Especially be super respectful of those who have compromised immune systems, because even if you feel like you aren’t at risk, the kid with lung problems down the street definitely is. I try to be smart, but I don’t overly stress about it. I think everyone should just be careful and ultimately trust God to do what is best. "
"Well, as someone who lives in Western WA, and thus kind of where it all started on this continent, I've... always seen it as more serious than some people in places where it never really got as big? Also of course a lot of this is impacted by what the governor of WA and my mom keep saying, because that's where I get most of my opinions on it ofc. But when I went to my softball tournament last week in Idaho because it's allowed there, all the teams were from Washington. And we were the only ones wearing masks in the dugout, which is the legal thing to do. And no, I don't believe we're all going to die if we don't wear those masks. But it's the courteous thing to do. Especially since my one coach is pregnant, which, though there's no proof that's higher risk, it's still something to take precautions for, and the coach for the older team of my organization that was also there (and wearing masks) has a high-risk wife.
But I totally agree that it shouldn't be the only thing we're talking about. My mom always reads the news out loud, which really bugs me (and actually I can tell it bugs my dad too), because she just kind of, lightly talks about how crazy this world is. And when they ask me how I feel about all this, I just... don't answer, because it feels uncomfortable. There's a lot of negativity. Some people are pro-vax, some anti-vax, some people want to wear masks, others think it's kind of pointless, but I think the big thing is to be respectful. Because even if you don't believe something is necessary, you could be making another person uncomfortable. So for me, it's just really, please follow rules. COVID isn't as dangerous once you contract it as, say, Ebola. But it's really contagious, and we can't deny that it has escalated to a pandemic, even though many countries have gotten it under control.
I've been trying my best to not get into debates about how big of a deal this is. There are injustices involved. The government isn't perfect, but if man were perfect, we wouldn't need government. But we do need rules. And if someone is concerned about a family member who is high-risk getting it and will feel uncomfortable without masks, we should accommodate for that reasonably. Take it slow. Respect people. BUT PLEASE DO NOT STOP STAYING OPTIMISTIC. For me, that's the end of the world. When people only look at the bad side of things. I thrive off optimism. So live, laugh, but do it in a way that respects other's concerns. "
So if you can't tell already, we are sick of it. and just want to go back to our somewhat normal lives. whether that will ever happen or not, that is very unclear. All people need to realize is that we all have an appointed day to die, if it's from COVID, then it's from COVID, if it's not, then it's not. The government can't tell us when or if we're going to die or if and neither can doctors! shocking right? Only God knows when you are going to die, and it'shis call whether you die or not. So don't worry. Put your faith in God an you'll never be sorry that you did.