For the collection: 'Life in the time of #COVID'
Resist the urge
to visit friends, have playdates at home,
hug neighbors, visit grandparents.
This is exactly why we have the shelter-in-place order to begin with.
Oh heavens and
Resist the urge
to go out partying, feeling young, carefree, invincible.
The virus has no age parameters on either end
grannies are dying in hordes, but now so are
foolish youngins. No one’s immune.
Resist the urge
to condemn neighbors for smiling, waving hello,
offering help to at-risk human beings.
Social distancing does not exclude friendliness –
just from a distance and with thought and caution.
Resist the urge
to snap at everyone not mirroring your choices to a T
as long as they’re following the official orders
Everyone deals with stress differently;
Be patient, kind, and humans will persevere.
Resist the urge
to binge chocolates, chips, and pizza just because you’re home.
Yes, we’re social-distancing, but that doesn’t mean we eat our way through
punishing our bodies and causing new problems when it’s over.
Resist the urge
to drain your bank account and stock portfolio.
Yes, it’s devastating to watch investments plummet
But it will crash the entire economy if we all evacuate and
we’ll have nothing to catch us when the pandemic’s over.
Resist the urge
to buy chicks to pass your family time in quarantine.
Yes, they’re a good science project now
but they’ll live and require care for years after.
Resist the urge
to spiral into depression and stay in bed
all day all week all month until the pandemic clears
Find hobbies around the house read, paint, hike, bike, enjoy the coming spring
It will be okay.
This too will pass.
Resist the urge
to doubt yourself and your worth
relish the beauty around you, the compassion in many,
ignore the negativity, find joy and peace in who you are,
what you can do, who you have around you.
Just be.
Sueann Wells is a full time mom of three young girls, a part time English teacher at her local community colleges, an avid community volunteer and scout leader. She has been a freelance writer and editor for the past twenty years. She has had several anthologies and many individual poetry and prose pieces published over the years.