The province has further tightened restrictions as COVID-19 numbers are rising to an alarming extent. The call to stay home is loud and clear.
But stopping activities now for future lower numbers–well, it’s hard.
Really hard to put off the fun now for the future better.
Pretend:
- the marshmallow on the plate is a visit with a friend/movie/chance to go out these days
- you are the child gazing at the marshmallow
- the second promised marshmallow–if you wait–is lower cases, hospitalizations and death
It’s not easy for those kids to hold off on what they want now to wait for the goodness that can happen is it?
Not easy for us adults either!
The Marshmallovid-19 Poem
The marshmallow test is a bit of a quirk It’s a process of waiting for a wonderful perk. If you eat the treat now, rather than wait The marshmallow in front doesn’t receive its due mate If you wait--you get two, if you don’t--you get one But waiting is hard, and no kind of fun One marshmallow now, or two in a bit The woman now leaves and we watch the kids sit. They stare and they squirm, they squirm and they stare They wriggle and jiggle and squiggle their chair. The marshmallow beckons—just a small nibble Their internal dialogue is one massive quibble They strain and they struggle to hold off on a bite Their internal struggle is a tremendous big fight. A corner just begs a wee little bite The temptation is strong and creates quite a plight The sweet scent of it calls out his or her name The wait for two becomes too tough of a game Some give in, and miss the chance of the prize The early consumption is the demise Of a dream of two mallows, all soft and sweet There’s no second marshmallow yummy to eat The cost of not waiting for the fun ahead Means the prize is short lived, and the joy has stopped dead Those who put off the fun till the lady comes back, Have the joy and the fun of the prize to attack. By now you might know this sweet rhyme is about The virus, precautions, and the hard stuff now out Our need to stay home fights with our need to connect Viral safeguards get lost in our push to intersect Social distancing and masks are hard to endure All the space from each other is tough, to be sure. Makes staying at home a very hard sell Stores and shops need us to buy stuff as well Restaurants are struggling, Bars need purchase of drinks, The decision to go can be made in two winks The need for a hug, an embrace with your mom A chat with a friend or a flick with your chum. Hair roots going grey and the skates are unused All appeals to go out are to be kindly refused We’re itching to play, have fun and be entertained Staying at home all the time leaves us all feeling drained We wired to connect, we belong to each other The truth of it is, we need one another It’s hard to postpone the joy and delight It’s hard to stay home, night after night. The draw to go out is as strong as could be It’s vital to know that “stay home” is the key The payoff can be only fourteen days from right now The challenge to stay home must be accomplished somehow Now adults are finding that waiting is tough! The painful enduring will complete soon enough. Waiting is hard as the kids have now shown, It doesn’t get easier when we are full grown. The stakes are so high, actual lives are at stake Our choice to go out needs to have a firm break. To save lives, we stay home and we postpone our reward: Our goal of saved lives that we’ve all worked toward. The delay of our pleasure isn’t easy or fun One day this will finish, the virus’ll be done In the meantime, we be kind, comfort and uplift Those who need help, knowing life is our gift. Poem by Carolyn Klassen
Stay home everyone, stay home.
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