After watching a news segment Wednesday evening about some young people writing letters to express their distress and fear due to the heightened state of social injustice, I remembered something I did years ago.

I wrote a letter, too.

My letter, like the teens in the news broadcast, was intended to address emotional struggles caused by an incident outside my control.

For me, it was to address the heartache I was experiencing caused by divorce.

The letter I wrote was never intended to be mailed. It was only written as a therapeutic means to release some of my angst.

But for the teens, not only did they write their letter; they also read them out loud. I think this served as an added mechanism in addressing their worries.

I agree with the conclusion of the news reporter, there is healing in writing. Therefore, I have decided it is time I write another letter, and this time it will be addressed to COVID-19.

Dear Coronavirus,

How do I even begin to tell you how much I hate you?

Yes, I hate you!

You have forever changed the lives of every single person in the world,
and your path of destruction is relentless.

You have strangled the life from thousands and upended the livelihood
of millions.

You have caused divisiveness in my country and discord between my family
and friends.

It seems you will stop at nothing to continue your reign of terror.

You put a stop to the family vacation and our annual Fourth of July
gathering.

You put a halt to me attending church services and placed a burden on my
children and grandchildren by causing schools to be closed.

You have snatched so many precious moments from me and everyone else.

The worry and fear I have of someone in my family becoming sick or dying
from you has felt debilitating at times.

The safety mandates made in an attempt to control your wrath are
affecting my mental health and that of my family members.

Do you have any idea or even care about the pain and misery you have
caused and are continuing to cause?

COVID, you are a monster.

When will your destruction stop?

I pray that God in Heaven will take you down. I want to see you beg for
your existence and then be destroyed.

And Mr. Pandemic, rest assured, there will come a time this will happen,
and when it does, I, along with everyone else in the world, will
celebrate.

You think you are making your mark. You are.

But I, we, will prevail.

You just wait and see.

Terri

During these times of uncertainty, I would encourage you to write a letter or just write. And for those who have children or teens in their home, I would suggest letting them do the same.

Also, for those who need to be heard and their letters read, send them to me.

After reading and with the provision of anonymity, I may even suggest to the powers that be, we run these letters in the paper, so those who may need healing from being heard have this opportunity.

Anne Frank, the world-famous German-born diarist and World War II Holocaust victim once said, “I can shake off everything as I write: My sorrows disappear, courage is reborn.”