IU School of Social Work – MSW Student
The last few weeks have been unbelievable, overwhelming, and unexpected. The energy in the world has shifted as I feel the intensity of fear, death, sickness, and disparity in humanity. The weight of sadness and grief is falling upon all of our lives globally. My parents and siblings are medical healthcare professionals. I live in constant anxiety that they will get sick or that something bad will happen to us. I feel so strongly and all of my emotions have been heightened during this time.

Positive Chalk Art
P.S. The image attached is something I wrote when I was on a walk in my neighborhood and there was a bucket of chalk with a sign that said: ‘write something hopeful’

I wake up hoping that I am not showing any symptoms and pray that I don’t get a call from a family member telling me they have tested positive. Regardless of my lack of symptoms and good health, I fear that if I see my parents, I will jeopardize their health and safety. Not being able to hug my mom has been nearly impossible. Wearing masks, staying 6 feet apart, fearing that I will get my parents sick, all these things are persistent and make the situation impossible.

I struggle with concentration as we go into the first month of fighting COVID 19 in America. I am trying so hard to be productive at work and school work but I am constantly struggling to be as efficient before COVID 19 hit our lives. Daily life duties have become a challenge.

The one thing that keeps me going is faith that we will get through this difficult time. We will make it. We will come out of this dark time. We must have grace and patience during this time. We must help and extend care to one another. Life will never be the same and we must find hope within our communities, our families, our friends, our loved ones.

“per aspera ad astra”

Sending positivity,

Carmen Perez