“COVID-19 is stupid.”

I passed by the message on the sidewalk, scrawled in chalk. Neighborhood kids had been decorating the sidewalks down the street from where I live on a 50-degree day. Even under the streetlights for a night-time walk, it was bright enough to see their handiwork.

The first batch was a hopscotch grid with positive messages and flowers.

The second batch, a block or so on, was more pointed, with a cartoon drawing of people fighting over toilet paper and this message:

“COVID” in big block letters, a smaller “19,” and then “is stupid” in small script.

I pictured some kid taking the time to sketch out COVID and color it in. Then she (or he) added the 19 to be accurate, and finally, tacked on the real point of the message.

It’s inelegant, but that’s what kids say and how they think. Things, people and situations are stupid when they don’t make sense or when they are frustrating.

COVID-19 doesn’t make sense, and it’s frustrating. Ergo, it’s stupid.

I get it, kid, I do.

Why COVID-19 is ‘stupid’

In that moment, I was glad my kids are older. It would be tough to try and explain this to a child when it’s not clear, day to day even, what’s happening and why. Pile on top of that the massive change parents and their children are going through with schools closed, many workers telecommuting and millions of people out of work.

It’s not just time off of school, though. Kids can’t play with friends or see extended family. Thanks to social distancing and safer-at-home orders, we aren’t supposed to come into contact with anyone outside of our immediate family. We can’t do the things we usually do or go to the places we like to go. No playgrounds, visits to grandparents or birthday parties.

For some children, school is a safe place when home isn’t. That school safety net is gone, and as adults face stress over lost income and uncertainty about the future, things may be very bleak for some children right now.

Even if things are good at home, I’m sure it’s still a challenge every day.

Try explaining to a 6-year-old why he can’t play with his best friend. Tell a third-grader who loves school that she probably won’t be going back this year. Imagine trying to help a junior high or high school student who is struggling with math. Commiserate with a senior missing out on her final year of school music programs, sports, friends and fun.

Coronavirus changes a generation

This time will be a defining moment for a generation of kids old enough to remember it. It’s a 9/11, a Challenger, an assassination. They will look back at 2020 as the year when schools shut down, and everyone was anxious and worried, and a lot of people died.

2020 will be the year the coronavirus changed everything for them. Later, maybe, they’ll be able to articulate their feelings. But right now, some have to resort to the basics, and that means COVID-19 is “stupid.” By that logic, I think most of us would agree.

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How to Be a Better Writer Tip

Finding inspiration

Are you often on the lookout for things to write about?

Usually, I treat my writing like I treat my photography. I keep an open mind and an open eye. If I want to find something to take a picture of, I know I need to keep my head up and my eyes looking around. Staring at the ground in front of me won’t yield many results.

However, I don’t want to force it, either. I don’t set out to take pictures, necessarily, but I look at things to decide if it’s something that catches my eye that I want to capture.

This is kind of how I find writing topics, too. I keep my eyes and ears open. I listen to things, watch things, read things and think about things.

Sometimes, a column comes barreling at me, like this one did. I had no idea I’d go for a walk and come back with a writing topic. Rather, I was observing the world around me, and this simple message struck me as something I needed to write about.

I’d be interested to know where you find inspiration for your writing. Please share in the comments, email me or comment on social media.