Since when we are little, our parents teach us what is good and bad, and how some things are supposed to be. However, are all things set-in stone? Is everything so black and white? This had never even crossed my mind until I faced an important decision I had to make this year.  

Firstly, let me introduce you to my grandparents. They were the ones that raised me and my sister, since my parents were at work every evening, and I have a very close relationship with them. Most friends at my age don’t have their grandparents anymore, and I am very lucky to have them both. However, my grandpa is very old, and we don’t know how many years he has left to live, especially with all his health problems. I remember when I used to read him books because he couldn’t read the small letters on the book, or when I used to spend days at their house, when he used to tell me stories of his childhood and the hard time that he lived through. However, the Covid situation has distanced us from each other. Since I am in contact with a lot of people during the day it is not safe to stay near my grandparents. This might be the safest choice for the situation we’re in, but it still is a hard one.  

For the first few months, my family and I decided to not meet them and interact as rarely as possible with them. They would sit and have lunch first and when they were done, we would come next. They barely left their room, and we never went to see them. I started to miss my grandpa more and more every day.  I would remember the tv shows and documentaries we watched. I wasn’t interested in them at the time, but now I would gladly watch all the documentaries if it meant spending more time with grandpa. Every time I read a book now, I remember how my grandpa loved listening to me when I read his favorite books.  And I know he isn’t very happy either; who will read him books now, who will he tell his stories to?   

In the beginning I didn’t have a problem with staying away from my grandpa, because I thought the virus would be far gone by the beginning of summer. But now this situation has been going on for over a year and Covid is still here, so this thing could go on for years. And if we don’t make the most of these years, we have left with him we might regret it in the future. These are some valuable years that we would miss without grandpa if we let the fear of Covid get us. So, we all had to make a choice. The alternatives were to continue to stay away from grandpa until the virus was over or to spend time with him while being careful too.  

To make this choice, my family and I had to consider many factors. Even if we distanced ourselves from grandpa, he was still at risk because of the other health problems he had. And I didn’t want to miss some valuable years with him. So, we decided that I could still talk to him and if I went in his room, I should wear a mask and gloves, and I would need keep a one-meter distance from him. And until now everything is going perfectly. We both are in perfect health and we are having lots of fun together. I can read him books again and watch tv with him, while still being safe.  

In conclusion, by this situation I learned that not everything is as fixed as people make it to be. We can learn to add colors to some situations and not see them in black and white. I guess what I'm trying to say is we can always find another better way to solve tings, if we really want them and try to come up with better solutions. Me and my family were told to stay away from old people, but we found a way for all of us to be safe while spending time with each-other. This way I can make the most of grandpa’s last years.