In the end, we are all but revived.

Masked by the constant warnings and orders, I live day to day uncertain of what’s to come. But one day, as I spend each moment squabbling away on my phone, I yearn for the moment I see a restored nation. Stores start opening up again. Children becoming a nuisance on the streets. Dogs walking around the parks or becoming an accessory to their owner. Everything back to normal, but not revived.

For me– as someone who has lived through this horrific history– I don’t want to remember all the opportunities taken by a global predicament– a problem that would have de-escalated immediately if not for people’s ignorance and indifference.

But I remember forcefully laughing every time someone makes a joke. I remember avoiding eye contact whenever a teacher asks a question. I remember complaining about how exhausting it was to climb the stairs or writing an entire essay in a period.

For me, it was the end.

And if one day we ever did survive this minor inconvenience, I hope nothing will be revived. No one should ever rejoice that we have overcome the obstacle. I feel this is enough payment for the pandemic. If we are to triumph in the end, we will forget this ever happened. 

While we may see articles of the Coronavirus in the future or it may be taught in school, the facts are all that stay. How about the fear that we experienced or the foolish trust we put in our government? If all this chaos were to dissipate one day, people would neglect their newfound routines of washing their hands and donating sanitary products– traits that represented humanity in times of crisis.

Everyday, random acts of humanity and appreciation for misplaced time floods my social media accounts. It turns out that there’s still a silver lining that shines brightly. I don’t want to lose that shine nor the essence of humanity.

But today is nothing more than history. Whether or not we move forward with optimism, it is not the virus that slowly took away our time and hopes. It was the regret that we did not do enough to appease those we can control. Now that we are left with such uncontrollable force, we are forced to complain and look back.

Still, I look forward to a better day to come. After all, in the end, we are all, but revived.