"One day, the world stopped without any warning" is a line in a song called Life Goes On by BTS that

reminds me of how an unknown thing pressed the pause button in our lives. Suddenly, everything
changed in a glimpse and our tomorrow seems more uncertain. More than missing the lives that we used
to have back in what we considered the normal days, we also risk losing our lives with an opponent that
we cannot see, the COVID-19 virus.

Eating out with friends, walking freely in the streets, hugging and holding our loved ones. Simple things
like these are the recipes of our fruitful lives back then before the news of the virus broke out. Just like
with Jessica Gabo, a 19 years old student who described herself as the "kaladkarin" friend whom you can
invite anytime at anywhere you pleased. She is one of the people whose life completely turned around
when people were advised to stay inside the comfort of their homes. Planned trips or activities were put
on a halt so people naturally had to come up with things to distract themselves and Jessica is one of them.
She spent her days playing and cooking and she especially fell in love with baking during the days of the
lockdown. She also found the perfect moment to spend more time with her family, now that they have the
chance to be in the same place at the same time. The COVID-19 pandemic already celebrated its first
anniversary and little did Jessica and her family know that it is also the time where they will be the victim
of the COVID-19 virus. March 20, 2021, a date that is marked forever in their lives because half of
Jessica's family including herself tested positive of the said virus. To say that they were shocked is an
understatement because she and her family were very cautious when they were going outside and they
religiously practiced the health protocols before going inside their home or before interacting with
someone.

Jessica and her family members were isolated and she focused mainly on keeping her body healthy and
distracting herself from the situation she was in. "Nakakalungkot talaga pero you just have to distract
yourself from your situation para hindi ka mas malungkot," she stated. Jessica whose love language is
physical touch, really had a hard time being away from her loved ones, "mahirap siya especially to us
people, na madadaldal ganyan, ta’s gusto laging physical touch." Jessica associated her COVID-19
experience with the word patience and how this helped her to keep herself in the right track of focusing
on what is important. "Nakakalungkot after several tests na na-take ko na lagi kong nakikita na positive
parang syempre nakaka-down pero I reminded myself na I just have to be patient na gagaling ako and
makaka-recover ako from this" Jessica thanked her mindset for manifesting patience and advised the
people who are experiencing the same thing to just wait eagerly, "They just have to be patient, that your
body will fight this virus with you, kasi ang kakampi mo bukod sa family mo and friends and all the
prayers from the people around you, ang kakampi mo talaga is yourself. So you set up an attitude that
will that will help you motivate yourself in becoming better." She also encouraged the people who are
isolating to refocus their energy on things that will help them stay on the optimistic side, " do the same
thing na ginawa ko which is to distract myself from the fact na may sakit ako kasi if magfo-focus ka sa
fact na may sakit ka, na nakuha mo yung COVID mas lalo ka lang mada-down, mas lalo lang magiging
hindi motivated na gumaling." Jessica advised.

"You can’t stop entirely. You can pause pero you can’t stop ta’s magreturn ka." wise and uplifting words
from Jessica to not think that life will end once you contract the virus. It is a great reminder to indulge
yourself with a breather, take a break if you must but always remember to never come to a full stop and
motivate yourself to return and restart doing what your life has for you.

"The day will come back around as if nothing happened" another line in the same song, a line that seems
like the wishful thinking that we whisper in the air every day. Two years of the pandemic and still
counting is full of yearning with how our past way of living is what we are dreaming for in the future. We
wanted to go back so bad and appreciate the little things we took for granted. That is why it always feels
so good when the nostalgic feeling is hitting you. It reminds you of how good your life was way back
before the ill fate that we are experiencing right now. Unfortunately, this is not some fairytale where all
our wishes will come true. Instead this is a sad and heart wrenching reality that we need to accept if we
want to go on with our lives.