Marcella W., Incarnation Catholic School
Covid19 Expectations
Just think, back in March, we thought that this pandemic would be over in just a few weeks. Now, in October, we still don’t know what will happen in the next few weeks! If you asked me a year ago what expectations mean to me, my answer would be completely different. I like to think of this situation like any puzzle you have had to conquer, like a maze on a restaurant menu. But what exactly does Coronavirus have to do with a maze on a restaurant menu? A maze has a beginning and an ending, yet it seems to go on forever just like the pandemic.
I like to think that expectations are goals that you think are going to happen for the better. Yet, most of the time, it doesn’t seem to turn out the way we want it to. For me, expectations are like making the soccer team, and having fun with my friends, yet you might not make the team, or even have fun with your friends. The flaw with expectations in my mind is that we forget to have fun and live a little when reality doesn’t go the way we want it to. I like to manage my expectations by creating alternate remedies that help dilute the fact that life isn’t what it seems to be. My expectations fit in with Dottie Yeck’s philosophy of being good and doing good will result in having fun and being happy because if you try and be a good person in the bad times you will lighten up and take the weight off of your shoulders.
I was supposed to go on an Alaska family reunion, a soccer tournament for the Olympic Development Program, and most importantly have tons of fun. I tried to manage my expectations in many ways. For example, instead of going on an Alaskan cruise with my extended family I went on nature walks with my immediate family. By creating a remedy to the situation, I made an alternate environment to showcase the good in what we have. All our plans that were canceled devastated my family, yet we still learned to appreciate all that we have, and God has allowed us to do.
I also managed my expectations by visiting my astonishing grandparents across the street. They helped me by creating an alternate universe where I had an escape, the basement. In my grandparent’s basement I learned how to sew, cut wood, varnish clocks, and much more. I couldn’t be more thankful for everything they do for my family.
I think that this pandemic has had its ups and downs but overall, I think that it was a decent experience for my family and I because it helped me realize all of the blessings I am so fortunate to have today. Expectations for the better and for the worst are just a reminder that we need to have a bit of fun in our lives.
