This Too Shall Pass

By Bothainah Sharrofnah, English Language Program StudentApril 2020Beth wrote a winning essay for the English Language Program Writing Contest. Students in the program were encouraged to submit a writing to bring joy and happiness to the readers. They all wrote this in a very short period of time.You wake up every day in the hope of getting good news. You check your phone. Your family is worried, and things are getting worse. You decide to make your favorite breakfast, but you notice that you don’t have all the ingredients for it. You compromise. Then, you wonder if you should go out to buy groceries. Should I risk getting sick or should I stay home until I desperately need groceries, you ask yourself. You want to do things and to accomplish things, but everything seems stressful. You miss the streets, your friends and somehow, you even miss school. Though, this too shall pass.One day, you will again make plans to go out with your friends. You will wear your favorite outfit that you’ve been saving all these times. You will step out of your house and take a deep breath of fresh air. You deserve it. The sun is out and you’re feeling like the king of the world. The streets are busy. People are laughing, shaking their hands and hugging, even those who are not usually huggy people, just because they finally can. You finally see your friends again. They are all happy and excited to go to the same restaurants that you all used to be so sick of, but surprisingly, you all miss it so much. You miss the waiter that you didn’t like before. You miss the smell of the restaurant that you used to despise. You miss the tables that are slightly crooked and made you so angry before. But you miss it all, and you’re finally going to live all of that again. This too shall pass.You’re finally stress-free again. Your family is safe. Your friends are safe. Most importantly, you are safe. You once again decide to work on your hobbies now that you have no stress. You feel a sense of euphoria. You got your control back. Everything is back to normal. You know that tomorrow is going to be a great day. You know that you can visit your grandma who you haven’t seen for a long time. She’s safe and healthy. You can finally give her a hug with zero worries. You feel the warmth. This too shall pass.You open your eyes, and all of this is a distant memory, vague. Everything is back to normal. Everybody is back to their jobs and schools. You wake up and make your favorite breakfast as usual. The streets are too loud that you miss the quiet again. You rest your eyes and wonder: did that all happen or was it all a dream? You smile and get ready to live your uneventful life that you appreciate so much. This too shall pass.