2020 - Quite the Year

 Right now, wildfires are raging in Oregon, California, and parts of Washington, but mostly Oregon. Everywhere as far as I can see is covered in smoke. I’m not allowed to go outside and the air has a tint of orange to it. 

Healthy air quality is between 0-50. The air quality right now, as I’m typing, is 431. Yikes. As if the year 2020 didn’t have enough problems already.

School is online, so I’m spending a lot of my time doing those assignments. They’re mostly fun ones like introduction videos, about me letters, etc. I’ve also been doing homeschool assignments, reading, watching movies, making art, making bracelets, listening to music, and sewing. 

The strongest emotion I feel is anxiousness. We might have to evacuate and I need to think about what I would want to pack. Even if we don’t have to evacuate, I’m really anxious for the smoke to go away so I can go outside. 

The things that are most heavy on my mind is the air quality and what I would pack if we have to evacuate. I also really want to be able to go outside soon.

On the news, I’ve seen that the air quality is going to get worse. The direction the fires go depends on the wind and their course can change fast. Right now, Portland has the worst air quality in the world.

If we have to evacuate, I would pack my journals, money, phone, computer, letters from people, water, a few books, and some artwork.

A child living in 2040 might look at this year and ask “what did you do to prepare for the fires?” “Did you march in any of the protests?” “How was your life changed by COVID-19?” “Did you like doing school remotely?” 

My advice for someone dealing with life during a perilous time is to take a moment and do 5 deep breaths. If you need a break from everything that’s happening, read a book or watch a movie. 

2020 has been quite the year with fires, protests, the election coming up, and oh yeah, the coronavirus.