Together, Alone: Community Voices Documenting Life in the Pandemic

Today, my daughter cut out dozens of stars out of gold, metallic cardstock she special ordered for a day when she had time. Two weeks ago she was on Spring Break, having sleepovers, staying up late, having a consolation gettogether with her robotics team, after their competition was suddenly cancelled due to COVID19. The next week, school did not resume and she has said no to game nights and visiting her friends, imposing her self-isolation despite the desire for contact. Instead, while I am at work, she set herself to things we often put off. She cleaned the living room the second day, organized the kitchen cupboards on day three. That was Week One, wondering when school would resume. Week Two I came home to find tiny cloth flowers hanging by delicate threads from a ceiling papered with shimmering gold stars. Garlands of pale blooms and glossy green leaves festoon the upper corners, creating a bower reminiscent of a Midsummer’s Night Dream stage. Photos of her friends are carefully arranged on walls around old 78’s hung as art. I bought new sheer curtains and sewed more flowers along the tops so she will see a garden in the morning light. I allowed her to go to the store with me once, because I felt guilty. As we walked in, her friend was walking out with her dad. They both stopped, 6 feet apart, and in awe exclaimed, “I see you! I forgot what you looked like in person.” I see you, my daughter, creating a garden to spend your days and nights inside.