My initial reaction to COVID-19 was really having no reaction at all. I thought to myself “No big deal. I get to sleep in for a couple of more weeks.” Everything changed when I started to hear stories from the news and my parents about how serious it was. I started to get nervous as the weeks passed beyond the 2 week extended spring break. I was scared! I love being at home but this was a little too much. So many of the things I was looking forward to were cancelled or postponed. We bought concert tickets to see one of my favorite groups and I was upset to learn that this was not happening. I was being taken on an emotional rollercoaster.
I had a moment when I thought that I was going to crack. I was so stressed about not being able to do things as normal. My mom came to me and asked me if I did something and I remember saying yes to her. We had a disagreement about if it was done or not and for the first time in a long time I screamed. At the top of my lungs I yelled “I am NOT lying!” I went to my room and cried. That small thing seemed bigger to me. I was over it all and it came out in my loud scream! If you could have seen the look on my mom’s face. I felt bad right away but she recognized that my scream meant something else. It meant I was tired of all of the bad news and being stuck in this house. We talked about it and now I am slowly feeling better about all of this.
I have appreciated a few things about our current circumstance. I am with my family more now. Everybody is together and we actually have fun. I am painting more. Art is my passion and I have time to do more of it. The toilet paper hunt is always on. (I don’t know why this is a thing now.) We laugh more and eat so much more! It has been stressful but overall I am glad that we are doing what we need to do to be together and safe.
- Kennedy Thomas
High School Student
Accomplished Artist
High Achieving Student Athlete
Kennedy is pictured above with her cousins and friends at the 2019 Hear Her Roar Event: The Selfie Workshop. Hosted by YGAB at the Hilton Anatole Dallas.
Comments