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Collected Item: “To Go or Not To Go”

Give your story a title.

To Go or Not To Go

What sort of object is this: text story, photograph, video, audio interview, screenshot, drawing, meme, etc.?

Text

Tell us a story; share your experience. Describe what the object or story you've uploaded says about the pandemic, and/or why what you've submitted is important to you.

What happens when you live 3000 miles away from home, and your father asks you to meet him and your only sibling in Florida to celebrate his 90th birthday? This year, the answer is that you disappoint your father and feel guilty about not going, knowing that his time left here is limited. But, you know deep down that you are doing the right and responsible thing. I have only known my father for the last year, but that’s another story, and would really love the chance to spend some real time with him, but I know it would be risky. Not only is my father almost 90, but he is also diabetic. So, I’ll wait to see him sometime next year, because even though I am sad and feel guilty about saying “no” this time, it may give us an opportunity next time.
I think that many people are going faced with making these decisions during this year of the quarantine, especially here in Los Angeles, where a good portion of the population is a transplant from somewhere else. But, there are even much tougher decisions or limitations on seeing family and loved ones. My dilemma seems minor, but it does matter to a 90 year old.

Use one-word hashtags (separated by commas) to describe your story. For example: Where did it originate? How does this object make you feel? How does this object relate to the pandemic?

#Elderly, #Travel, #Guilt, #Decisions

Who originally created this object? (If you created this object, such as photo, then put "self" here.)

Roxanne Evans

Give this story a date.

2020-10-16
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