Humans of Yorkdale

As we begin to see what we hope to be a lasting end to quarantine, we thought we’d share one last quarantine story to close this eventful school year. "Who knows when this will end…”⁣
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“In 2020, the world's pandemic disease COVID-19 is causing everyone to go into isolation. I thought it was great at first; finally, I’d have time to cook and to catch up on my drama shows! I regained my interest in cooking, playing video games, and watching movies, but soon after a week, I began to feel inconvenienced. Many people and I are locked up and feel stagnant. It is terrible for personal well-being. Many people can't bear this kind of stagnation. I don't know what I'm doing all day anymore. Watching TV, eating, or sleeping all the time makes me lose sense of time. Society is full of panic about this disease. The panic even exceeds the spread of the disease. The city streets are empty because most people are living at home in isolation. Who knows when this will end.”⁣
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Posted • Let’s take a moment to acknowledge the recent and heartbreaking events around the world and in The United States, in particular. We are at a pivotal moment in history and in the wake of isolation, economic strain and immense social tension; we have the power to shift social consciousness away from division and violence and towards positivity.

We are inviting you to create or capture an original image, short video or words of inspiration that supports a message of positivity, unity and understanding using

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"I'm slowly picking up new habits, but they don't last long…”⁣
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“When the news surfaced, I wondered if COVID-19 would affect me. Days went by but I paid it no mind. It wasn't in Toronto, only China. Days turned into weeks and the virus is spreading quickly. S**t is hitting the fan. What I thought was a minor virus that could be contained turned into a pandemic that's totally out of control. In a blink, the government announced quarantine and social distancing. It wasn't a big deal for the first week, but weeks quickly turned into months. Time is going fast in the real world, but in my mind, it is a blur. I'm mentally breaking down but have to stay strong. I'm trying to overcome this obstacle by using the free time I have to strengthen my mind and my goals. I'm slowly picking up new habits, but they don't last long. There are too many things I want to achieve at once, so I'm trying to cram it all in at once. Of course, the free time defeats me. I'm slacking off a lot: video games, Netflix, sleeping. I feel like I was more focused knowing I was facing the clock. I also have to share my time with myself, my family and girlfriend. My girl wants all my attention, my family wants to see me often, but I want most of my time. I want to be alone and really focus on what I have to get done to better myself for the people around me.”⁣
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"I gave life to the furniture, I melted into the wall, enjoying every day…”⁣
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“We imprison ourselves at home listening to music and reading books, sometimes resting and exercising. I found my imagination again, and turned on that old video game console abandoned by routine with the excuse that I did not have time. I understood new ways of being, quiet like a tree, letting myself be carried away by the electromagnetic wind. I learned to stop running in my mind, to listen more deeply, to enjoy all those bottles of wine that were waiting for a special time, without realizing that the special time is now that we are alive. While some found their shadows, I started dancing again. I gave life to the furniture, I melted into the wall, enjoying every day. Many wake up crawling around their house with difficulty breathing, looking for a window to escape the hell growing in their stomachs, looking at the spring that is still in winter. But perhaps, suddenly we will start to think differently, creating new ways of living and materializing that we dreamed, because we have already healed, away from empty people and banal luxuries, waiting for danger to end and we will unite again.”⁣
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LET’S RECONNECT⁣
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Since we can’t be in school, we were hoping that you could provide your own stories from home. Make sure to tag us in your story. We’d love to see your faces again!

"When I looked at myself, my mind was scrambled with emotions about what had just happened...”⁣
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“Life is a gift from God. When a child is born, people are tempted to think that he/she will be very successful in life, but the challenges that this person must face through his/her journey, nobody knows. 2015 was an unforgettable year due to a horrible accident at my workplace which forever changed my life. When I looked at myself, my mind was scrambled with emotions about what had just happened. The surgeon told me that I had two options: wait for the affected area to heal by itself with the risk of getting an infection, or do a skin graft. I chose the second option. I had to go to the operating room while fighting the insurance company for my rights at the same time. I started to feel miserable and really bad thoughts came to me, telling me that I was worthless and that I have to harm myself, but thank God I never did it. When I mentioned this to my family doctor, he sent me to see a psychiatrist for some help. I received treatment from a whole team, some of whom still follow my progress. No matter what happens to you, remember this: God always has a plan for us, and from my experience, when you follow and trust in God, things will begin to change in human lives.”⁣
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"There I was stranded in the boat...”⁣
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“There I was stranded in the boat. At first, it was ok and I was feeling relaxed, but after two hours, I began to think that I would die there. My friend and I were stuck in the marsh with our broken boat. We were in, what felt like, the middle of Lake Ontario. No one knew we were there and we didn’t tell anyone that we took the boat and went out on the water. I began to think no one would find us. I thought, ‘should I take one last picture and throw away my phone for my friends to remember me by?’. Eventually, they sent a small boat to help us. Finally, we would be saved, but it wasn’t that simple. Unfortunately, they attached themselves to us and the boats began to sink with the combined weight. Now we were really done! We were worried because we were at the end of the lake and nobody could see us. After four hours of worrying, they finally sent a big boat for us and we returned to our cottage. Now, we could begin roasting the marshmallows!”⁣
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"I took a coin from my pocket, threw it in the water, and made a wish...”⁣
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“I first came to Canada to visit my mom. While I stayed with her, I gathered all the necessary documents for my husband and daughter to gain status in Canada. Time passed and I didn’t hear an answer from immigration. I decided to return to my country where I stayed with my family and continued our life. Before I left Canada, I went to this beautiful place called Niagara Falls. As soon as I saw the waterfalls, I took a coin from my pocket, threw it in the water, and made a wish. One year passed, and we received the most wonderful news. My family was granted status in Canada! My wish was to visit this beautiful place with my family, and it finally came true. I am very happy and grateful to have the opportunity to live in this beautiful country and be able to visit Niagara Falls over and over again. For my family and I, this is our favourite destination.”⁣
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"l thought that it was my fault or that I was doing something wrong, but it wasn’t me...”⁣
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“l have heard the expression 'life isn’t easy’, but it was hard to understand. l was just 21 years old when my life changed; l left my family and friends and I came to Canada for a better life. I got married to a person with a heart of gold. Life was going well and we had so many plans for the future, but sometimes, life likes to surprise you. l thought that it was my fault or that I was doing something wrong, but it wasn’t me. It was a drug he had been using for a long time. He became jealous, abusive, violent. The hard times continued for a long period of time and I started dreaming about independence. He continued to be more abusive to me until the point when my life was in danger. It was at that time, l was reborn and my life changed. And now, two years after all that, I’m living my dreams.”⁣
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"I passed through my worst struggle in my life and survived...”⁣
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“We all struggle in life at some point or another. We feel as if everything is going against our expectations. My worst experience of struggle and survival in my life was when my country was in a civil war. When the war began, many people were displaced, some women were r***d, and thousands of people were murdered. I will never forget the 6th of January 2000 when the rebels murdered my brother with his 2 two friends in front of my face while we were pulling over to a hiding place. Over the years, I tried many times to forget this moment but insecurity in my country kept this memory at the forefront of my mind. Eventually, I found myself in the best country called Canada, which I hope will be my home forever. The society shows you how to live a better life, the people are so loveable and also take care of you until you achieve your goals, no matter where you came from. I believe with the knowledge of experience, I passed through my worst struggle in my life and survived. That makes me brave and strong in anything I do in life.”⁣
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