Some of my nieces and nephews have college-age children who recently went back to school. They’re all smart, fun, and full of life but, unfortunately, three of them have already tested positive for Covid-19. They all are very outgoing and social and most likely got conflicted about what to do when they got back among friends: I suspect they’re sorry they didn’t wear their masks and practice more social distancing. I don’t know how these kids will fare with their cases, but I suspect they might come to regret the choices they made. Part of me remembers being in college and doing things that in retrospect weren’t that smart; part of me knows that they, like all of us, will probably cringe when remembering some of the things they did. That’s when it becomes painfully clear that while we may wish to cross out our past, it can’t be erased. At my age, I appreciate that, in the best of circumstances, life is short. I hope theirs, and those of so many other young people, aren’t cut short because of this pandemic. Think about how to be smart and safe if and when you decide to participate in things today.
Elwyn Brooks White (1899 – 1985): American writer (Stuart Little and Charlotte's Web and The Elements of Style)
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