During this time of the coronavirus pandemic, my dear friends and I reminisce about our childhoods and early adulthoods and the significant events that have been seared into our memories. Most seem to put President John F. Kennedy’s assassination among the top memories. We can remember where we were when we got the news. We can visualize the television images of the event. We know the effect on those around us at the time and upon our families and our nation.
We are now living in a time in history that will be seared into our grandchildren’s memories. Parents, as always, have the heavy lifting. It is their responsibility to deal with the emotional and psychological impact and anxiety our grandchildren may have, while dealing with home schooling and cabin fever in their homes. What role should we grandparents have about this pandemic, COVID-19?
As I was contemplating this blog post, everything that came to mind was just too heavy. Then, a dear, long (we never say old) friend shared what she was doing with her grandchildren. It is a brilliant idea. She said it is important for our grandchildren to chronicle and document the many ways that the Coronavirus is impacting their lives. She wants to preserve their memories of this life changing experience in this day and time.
This is her idea and she always has great ideas.
For her grandchildren who are old enough and are writers, she is asking them to write a letter to themselves about what this time of coronavirus pandemic means to them, how it has changed their life, and what their life is like now living through this pandemic. She is going to have them seal the letter in an envelope addressed to themselves, to be opened in ten years, twenty years and so on. Their parents will hold the letters. Of course, we can take a photograph of the letter and preserve it on our computers as well, and share it with their parents to keep on their computers.
For her grandchildren who are not inclined to write this, she is interviewing them on video and preserving the video, giving it to their parents to show them in ten years, twenty years and do on. For those of us who can use Zoom, it has a record feature.
We know we cannot be with them in person during this time. Of course, we all hope that we will be present when they open the envelopes or view the videos. However, just the knowledge that their grandparents were so inclined to preserve their memories will be a memory unto itself. This time will be part of their life story forever and so will we grandparents.
“Most Americans Say Coronavirus Outbreak Has Impacted Their Lives,” according to a March 30, 2020 Pew Research Study. We grandparents should preserve some of our significant memories as well. So I do not forget life during the pandemic, I have compiled what I want to save:
Preserving some photographs of our lives during the pandemic to be able to share with the grandchildren later. The Atlantic has 36 “Photos: Life in the Coronavirus Era,” published March 16, 2020.
Listening to a podcast, and this Grandma never listens to podcasts, of an interview of Michael Osterholm, an internationally recognized expert in infectious disease epidemiology, by someone recommended by my son-in-law, on “The Joe Rogan Experience.” Also, to remember to skip the first five minutes or so of a sales pitch.
Learning about “social distancing” is the best from Science Daily.
Even a movie star’s (Gwyneth Paltrow’s) website, “The Goop” synthesizes studies well about the coronavirus. It is so suprising how long coronavirus lives on surfaces.
Watching a video to learn how to sanitize our groceries before putting them away. Yes, it is very significant that we have to go to these lengths to not bring the coronavirus into our homes.
Dealing with a shortage of toilet paper.
Finally having a study and being told we should wear masks if we go out.
Lastly, what will our world look like after the pandemic? I want to preserve Politico’s experts’ predictions and see if they come to pass in “Coronavirus Will Change the World Permanently. Here’s How: A crisis on this scale can reorder society in dramatic ways, for better or worse. Here are 34 big thinkers’ predictions for what’s to come.”
And, remembering that pandemics are part of our past human history and likely to be part of our future.*
With little joy,
Mema
*Look at this chart:
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