Well, the year you were 13 sure was one for the books. There were a few months of normal before the world was struck by pandemic and Covid-19 changed just about everything in your life. By the middle of March, we were in a lockdown that kept us isolated at our home. School closed, activities were cancelled, and you could only speak to friends via technology. As time passed and science learned more about the spread of this new virus, we all adapted to social distancing and wearing masks in public. We tried our best to manage our risk responsibly, and we took advantage of activities that were likely to keep us safe. We spent our usual week at a rental on the lake, took lots of trips to the ocean where we could have our own space, and managed a few small gatherings with friends outside in the yard. But life was weird. Very weird.
You missed so much. You didn't have a last spring season of travel soccer. You weren't able to celebrate your promotion from 8th grade with the traditional Awards Day and Promotion Dance. You and Sophie weren't able to fill our yard with dozens of friends for our annual summer kick-off party. Your planned week away at MSSM summer camp was cancelled. You couldn't pass late summer nights with friend-filled sleepovers. Tickets for concerts and comedy shows were refunded, and countless afternoons of family barbeques were postponed for a safer time.
And yet... you persevered. You felt disappointment, of course - but you understood the seriousness of the situation and you behaved with a maturity that many adults did not. You decided to take some of your unplanned free time to complete two summer classes, enabling you to start freshman year even further ahead in both math and science. You landed your first job, working alone for a few hours a week at a nearby boat launch inspecting boats for invasive plants (the perfect socially-distanced work for a pandemic!), and you balanced plenty of good family time with the video games you love to play. School has been back in session for two months now, and you have embraced your remote-learning situation. Your teachers have such positive things to say about you, and you are keeping your grades high. You have taken full advantage of a super-short fall sports season that was approved at the last minute, playing all-out and growing as a competitor while wearing a mask, adapting to new rules and protocol, and braving late-fall temperature dips.
In a time when it would have been easy to slip into a funk, you have grown as a person and we couldn't be more proud of your attitude. It is important to you to be a responsible citizen, even when it isn't fun or convenient. You are patient and understanding when we have to set limits that might be a little more strict than other families, because you understand the science and respect the importance of doing the right thing. It isn't how I would have chosen you to live this year of your life, but there are so many memories of laughter and love and happiness that I certainly wouldn't want to trade. This is a year that you will remember for the rest of your life, and I hope that when you recall the stress and uncertainty of this time, you also recognize how we embraced our circumstances and tried to make the very best of our situation. I am so very proud of how you have faced this adversity, and I think we have been given a clear glimpse of the creative, steady, capable person you will be as you grow.
I love you so much.
Mama
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