Students in Jennifer Rosewarne’s Grade 11 English class at Huntsville High School were given this assignment: “Explain one positive thing you think will come of the COVID-19 crisis. Why did/will it take the crisis for this change to come about?” This was one student’s reply.
By Spencer Haney
Never have we been challenged quite like this. Collectively challenged.
We might set personal challenges for ourselves—run a mile, balance our budget, write the essay—but never have we been challenged to do so little to help so many people.
Simple, everyday luxuries—like going to Starbucks or Tim’s to get a drink, going out for lunch with friends, browsing around the mall for the hell of it—are luxuries we take for granted, not realizing how much they are worth to us until they are taken away.
Thousands of people have died and thousands more will suffer the same fate. Never have recent generations faced anything like this. This is like a passage from a history textbook—finish the paragraph, turn the page; maybe you’ll remember but probably not. Except that this will be our history, the one we all lived and that we will never forget.
We are beginning to realize, even in the modern world, how vulnerable we truly are. It will get worse before it gets better.
Never before has each human being played such a crucial role in protecting our own generation, other generations, and the ones to come. Staying home and social distancing: this is how we will save the world.
Who knows how long this will last, but one thing is clear: the more readily we accept the challenge, the quicker things will begin to turn a corner. The faster that Earth will be restored to some kind of normalcy. The faster that we can return to our simple luxuries.
When this is over, I expect things will be different.
People, civilization, will have changed. People will be nicer to one another. Different things will consume our lives.
For once, people have found solace in nature. When this is over, being outdoors will be more popular than ever and people will spend more of their time there.
We will appreciate what we have. The simple luxuries. Being able to go get an ice cream or simply browse around the bookstore. These simple things will mean more to us than they ever have before.
Together, as a civilization, we will stop the spread. We will flatten the curve. We will eradicate this virus and when the smoke clears we will join together. We will celebrate a new world, a changed world, a new decade. We will remember the ones that have lost the fight and we will honour those who fought for others. The ones who worked on the frontlines, the ones who saved the world.
When this is over, we will celebrate the freedom that we have.
The future of mankind relies on the choices that we—you and I—make today, tomorrow, and in the weeks and months to come.
This is our defining moment.
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Marg Wood says
If the future is in the hands of people like this young man, then you all will be well served! Kudos to the teacher for this assignment! Keep up the excellent work. Stay safe!!
Henk Rietveld says
Excellent essay. Young people are facing a very different future, but if they face it like this young gentleman, there is great scope for hope and optimism. Well done.
Don McCormick says
I hope that what you are predicting will come true but in the past, when crises pass, we have slowly settled back in to our old ways of being. Perhaps what each of us needs to do, while we are in the middle of this crisis, is to write down what we are learning about ourselves and, as a result, how we hope to live in the future. And then, to post that in a prominent place in our homes where we can’t help but see it every day – to read it, reflect on it and recommit ourselves to living that way. Then, maybe your predictions will come true. Thank you for your thoughtful commentary.
Janice Larade says
Thank You Spencer for your Honest Commentary!!
It is frank, candid, expressive, emotional, thought provoking and challenging!
Your intuitiveness is welcome! Discernment and wisdom is to be sought daily..
Thank You for being an active participant in this life we share! The Younger generation is our future and must be acknowledged, encouraged, supported and heard! Your voices share what you are observing.. experiencing.. “seeing life with fresh eyes”.. while also valuing many of the same core values of those generations… that have gone before you !
You brought out many good points in your article.. while getting to the core of humanity.. and… the core of our community..
“People”!!! We are on this Earth “Together”.. We need “eachother” in our community! “Even if it takes a crisis to remind us..” I agree.. “Good” will come from this… if we are an active participant… it will take each one of us!! We are all needed and valuable!!!
You are needed Spencer.. you have found your voice and have a gift in writing your thoughts and that heart voice well! I hope you have more opportunities to write!! I hope you have inspired other people in the younger generation to express their voices too!
Thank You for sharing your article with the public.. I greatly appreciated it!
And… I felt it also brings… “HOPE!! “
Erin Jones says
Wow–excellent essay! Hope you continue with your writing.
Judy Evans says
A wonderful assignment given by the teacher to have her students reflect and to learn that even in bad situations there are usually life lessons that one can learn. Beautifully written Spencer!
Lisa McIlmoyle says
Bravo Spencer! I was so happy to see that you have continued on your path of reflective learning! You should be very proud of this essay and your ability to get your points across so thoughtfully. Young people like you who share these beliefs, hopes and opinions are what we all need to get through these unprecedented times, times that will, no doubt challenge each and every one of us to do the right thing to flatten the curve. I have been hopeful in all of this that someone like you would come forward as a representative of our youth today to shine the light on your humanity, humanity that I know exists in the minds and hearts of our young people. Thank you for that. Thank you for allowing us to see through your words the gifts that you and your peer group have to offer…compassion, community involvement and “collective” energy to make a difference at this moment in history. While our hearts have been broken open by this pandemic I feel quite positive about our future and the renaissance of gratitude that we will experience moving forward in our lives. There is beauty and love to be captured and cherished in the simplest of things and it makes me excited to know that time with family and friends, nature and the arts will figure prominently.
What a beautiful and optimistic essay Spencer; well done!
Thank you Jenn Rosewarne, once again for asking the questions that bring out the best in people; it’s time for our young people to feel proud of themselves and empowered to make a difference!
Stan Dronseika says
EXCELLENT!!! Well done, Sir!
Bob Slater says
Folks … if this gets posted .. it is worth a look … very very interesting for ALL people .. young and old to see … long … but will make you ask lots of questions .. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk11vI-7czE&list=LLYh-YVDzNOuMyEVYx5P2bAg&index=2&t=0s
Susan Godfrey says
Thank you, Spencer, for your well- written and thoughtful editorial!