Social distancing is hard for adults, but I can’t imagine what it would be like as a teenager.
When I was that age if I wasn’t working or going to school I would probably be hanging out with my friends.
If we ever had a break from school we would find something to do, whether it was going for a drive, working on our cars, going to the movies, hunting, fishing, or even hanging at one another’s houses just to pass the time.
Neither my generation, nor my parent’s generation, ever experienced the effects like we are now with the outbreak of COVID-19 taking hold of the world.
With state and county regulations we are supposed to minimize our trips to the store, and with movie theaters closed, and restaurants on take-out and delivery only, most of us lack any interaction with the outside world.
I get it, teenagers are different nowadays, they like to spend countless hours cooped up in their room, playing on their smart gadgets or watching Netflix.
I’m sure I’m not the only parent trying to get their teenager to emerge from the stagnant confines of their bedroom for a little fresh air and some family time.
This is the second week of no school, which would typically be spring break. Children should be playing in the streets, filling the parks, playgrounds and skate parks around the county.
Instead they are all on soft lockdown, helping minimize the spread of coronavirus.
To help do my part I canceled a trip back to Idaho I had planned months ago. My brothers and I were going to help my mom clean up around the farmhouse to get the place ready for summer. After days of deliberation we decided as a family to be safe and postpone the spring-cleaning for another time.
With my normal Saturday workday, writing and editing photos, when Sunday came around I needed some sunshine and crisp Colorado spring air to clear my mind.
It took some prodding and a little coaxing, but come Sunday afternoon the family was out walking and enjoying the mild temperatures.
Practicing the proper 6-foot distancing we strolled around the neighborhood taking in the greening grass and flowers pushing through the soil in front yards.
It was a time we could unplug and forget a little of what is going on in the world. We did cross paths with a few neighbors, and everyone seemed happy just to get a little social interaction even if it was from a distance.
After returning home we helped out a local business by ordering a little take-out and sat down for a family meal before the teenager headed back to her room to hide from her parents who are clearly too embarrassing to hang out with.
kmills@postindependent.com