And the People Stayed Home
““Be safe, be smart, be kind.””
“And the People Stayed Home,” is a beautiful poem by Kitty O’Meary about what happened (and what will hopefully happen) after the pandemic is behind us.
We are living in remarkable times. In the US and globally the response to and the effects of Covid-19 are varied widely. Some stayed home and wore masks, others did not. What we do know is that because many people remained home and changed the way they lived, the earth began to heal.
Staying home meant fewer cars on the streets, which meant less traffic congestion and air pollution. The earth even began to vibrate less! Wildlife began to reemerge in places we didn’t expect. (When you get a chance check out the baby boom of sea turtle in Florida!). We could clearly see the impact that humans have on our environment.
Faced with lots of alone time, we also had time to reflect and turn inwards.
Adults and older children may be processing the pandemic as a change, but to our youngest humans, this just is and always has been for as long as they have been creating lasting memories.
Get a copy of this book that marks a moment in history. Reflect with your children about the possibilities and move forward. Thanks to this book, this monumental time is recorded and given its rightful record of current history.
Some Things to Think About…
How has your life changed because of the pandemic? Has it changed?
How do people remain connected when we must also remain socially distanced?
What does it mean when the author says, “And some people met their shadows?”
illustrated by Stefano Di Cristofaro and Paul Pereda
