Dear Mia,
You’ve spent a significant part of your childhood enveloped in this pandemic. Yet, remarkably, you won’t retain any memories of it. I find myself envying you for that.
It will take time before you understand the concept of a virus or grasp how profoundly this past year altered our lives. This letter is intended for you to read when you’re older and can comprehend it all.
Just recently, you reunited with friends you hadn’t seen since the pandemic began. You were absolutely radiant, your laughter echoing as you all ran around, filled with joy. Observing you that day reminded me of how much you’ve matured since Covid reshaped our world.
As you grow, you may hear others label this period a “lost year.” However, for our family, it was a time when we truly discovered one another.
Prior to the pandemic, we led a fairly typical life. I was often away, whether it was long shifts in the emergency room, teaching, or traveling for research. Your mom commuted daily to the heart of the city for work. With our hectic schedules, we often rushed to pick you up from daycare, juggling deadlines and train delays.
Then, in March 2020, everything shifted. For the next seven months, you were with us every single day, every waking moment.
I won’t pretend it was simple. Anyone who parented through this pandemic can attest to the challenges we faced. Balancing work while keeping you engaged was a relentless task. It weighed heavily on our family, and I know it affected you too, even if you were too young to express it.
I worried endlessly about your safety. Every time I returned home after treating Covid patients, I felt a pang of dread when you wanted to hug me. I can only imagine the confusion you experienced. I was terrified of passing on the very virus I was working hard to protect you from.
Over time, we found our rhythm. I watched you grow right before my eyes, marveling at how quickly it unfolded. I learned all your little quirks and shared what knowledge you could absorb. I discovered your ticklish spot under your chin and how much you loved playing with a loose screw from the elevator panel, pretending to conduct an orchestra.
When the pandemic began, you could barely walk and barely spoke. Now, we can chat and share our little jokes. But it will be a long while before we can truly discuss everything we experienced together.
Unlike many families, we were fortunate not to lose anyone to this virus. Even though the past year was tough for us, it was far more challenging for others.
Earlier this year, amidst the ongoing Covid crisis, your baby brother joined our family. Like you, his early days are marked by the pandemic; he was born during a peak in cases, greeted by bright lights and masked faces.
You are such a loving big sister now. Initially, you were uncertain, but now you protect him and try to help feed him. I can already see the strong bond forming between you two.
The pandemic isn’t over yet. I’m uncertain about what lies ahead, but I anticipate that the coming months may be difficult. I feel both excitement and nervousness as I prepare to send you to preschool. As I have so often over this past year, I will worry.
Having served as a physician on the frontlines and losing patients and colleagues to this virus, there are many aspects of the pandemic I would rather forget. However, the moments I spent with you — whether we were escaping to the beach or taking walks around the neighborhood — were the highlights of my days.
While there is no silver lining to a pandemic, this past year deepened our connection in ways that might not have happened otherwise. I will forever be grateful that we weathered it together as a family.
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In summary, this pandemic has reshaped our lives in unexpected ways. While there have been challenges, the time spent together has forged an unbreakable bond between us.