Celebrating Differently

Monday 4/6/20: Everyday feels the same. Nothing distinguishes weekday from weekend anymore. Yesterday my family took a short road trip to Milwaukee to deliver Passover groceries to our relatives there. The roads were nearly completely empty. It typically takes an hour and a half to get to Milwaukee and yesterday it only took an hour! 
Yesterday was also my parents’ anniversary. Typically, my parents would go out to dinner together to celebrate, but this year because of the circumstances, we did something different. Instead, my two older siblings and I made dinner for them.
This past week, I have been having a hard time falling asleep, and I think it is because of the new lifestyle at home. A typical day of school is very tiring between running from class to class and after school activities. My guess is that my body is not as tired when I go to bed because I have not used nearly as much energy that I need to recharge. 
I have been chatting with a bunch of friends to keep my relationship with them outside of school. Without intention, most of the conversations end up on the topic of Covid19. Furthermore, technology has really become the center of my days. I have always had to use my iPad for classes, but not to this extent. Now I am on screens all day for zoom classes, worksheets, writing, reading and other assignments. Even daily conversations with friends have had to be through technology. 

Wednesday 4/8/19: Today marks the first day of Passover. The first two days of Passover there are big long meals that we enjoy with family. Typically the first night we go to a seder put on by the executive director of our synagogue, and the second night we have family and friends over at our house. Unfortunately, this year everything is different. We are not only having both seders at our house, but it is just my immediate family. Passover is one of the few holidays a year where the whole family comes together and three generations can join hands in prayer and eat. Luckily we have the technology to zoom with everyone. Tonight and tomorrow night we will be able to reunite via screen. Family and friends from across the country are gathering together to celebrate this once joyous holiday centered around freedom, and ironically, hundreds of years later we are not free anymore. However, we have to make the best of the situation and just realize that you shouldn’t take anything for granted, including freedom. After quarantine, we are going to be so grateful for being able to see friends and family and enjoy life outside the house. The world is going to be a completely new place because everyone will have a greater respect for the freedoms that we have in America. Even though it is hard to see past this time and to the future, I know we will get through this as a community and nation together and have a new found understanding of life. 

Friday 4/9/19: Yesterday's Seder was mostly successful. It is funny to see the older generations try to figure out technology and troubleshoot. For example, one of my sets of grandparents was able to join the zoom call, but we could only see their faces, not hear them and they couldn’t hear us. However, it was nice overall to see all my family and friends. Even though we weren’t in person, it was as if we were because everyone was singing and laughing all together. I think it is really important to stay connected with friends and family during this time because it keeps you sane. I have been checking up on all my grandparents nearly everyday because they don’t live with a big family where there are multiple people to talk to. I am specifically worried about my grandma in New York because her husband passed away several years ago. She isn’t allowed to even walk outside right now because the city is so densely populated with people who have corona so all she can do is sit in her small apartment. 
There are so many rumors going around about when quarantine will be over. There are those who are too hopeful and others who are more realistic. Some say May we will be back together whereas others are looking far out to September and October. It is hard to rely on numbers to answer this big question because there are so many factors. In addition, you can only watch the news so much before you start losing your mind freaking out about the virus. 

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