Today in Romania is the first day of school for hundreds of thousands of children. But the atmosphere is not the same as it was in previous years. It is a year of masks. Masks on the face, masks on the soul, masks in general. A year in which we can finally keep the masks where everybody can see them. And I am not talking about the medical type. But the type that, it seems to some, can save us from responsibility, humanity, common sense, everything that means a gram of kindness. Why? Because many people have the feeling that masks worn superficially in public and those imposed unconsciously on children will be able to compensate in some way for … anything and everything.
And if some children today have started a school year in a school of masks, for others it will be a year of total physical distance in a virtual system. The school will be online, without human interaction in its traditional form. It is a school year that begins without much enthusiasm for many children and adults. And we cannot condemn either of them.
For many children, school was a refuge. It was an escape from the reality of a sad family life, of a stressful environment. Many parents now experience the fear of the virus if they send their children to school, and rightly so. But we should not forget that many, I would say too many children in Romania were waiting to go to school with great enthusiasm just to escape from an environment of permanent fear, fear of an alcoholic father, fear of a physically or verbally abused mother, fear of not being themselves assaulted in various ways. For all these children, going to school meant happiness, it meant freedom, a freedom that allowed them to leave the mask of sadness, anxiety, tears and fear at the school gate.
Now please read below a short true story:
‘The current situation seems to me an incredibly sad one. I can’t control my tears, and the lump in my throat is choking me harder and harder. I remember the days when I was a student. I remember those years with enthusiasm for myself and with sadness for today’s students. For me, school was always a moment when I could breathe, it was the most beautiful thing in my life. I come from a modest family, I would not say a poor family because, in one way or another, God has always taken care of us, He took care not to miss anything. But I was probably an atypical child because I always liked school. I was always sad when the holidays came. I can even say that even during term time, every night I used to go to sleep somehow wishing that the night would pass as quickly as possible so that I would be able to go to school again in the morning. No wonder that every morning I was always at the school gate at 7.30 at the latest, although classes started at 8. I say ‘the school gate’ because the school door always used to open at 7.45-7:50, and I literally had to wai in front og the gate until the door was opened. But I was there every morning. No matter how cold it was, whether it was raining or snowing, I was there. I liked being there. It was the only way I could breathe. I had a feeling of fear for my mother that used to remain at home with my father, I was afraid for leaving her and I prayed every morning that, as long as I was gone, God would take care of her because I did not want to find her with new bruises. However, somehow I was happy that I could leave, even for a few hours.
I liked meeting my colleagues. I never had many friends, I was not a popular child neither in my class nor in my school, but I always had some friends with whom I was happy to spend time. I was happy to talk to them about anything, to laugh, to joke, to run together, even though I did not have a particular interest in sports. But I liked the relaxed atmosphere at school. I can say that it was the therapy that helped me survive – literally. I don’t know if I would have been here today without those few daily hours I spent at school.
Now I look at what happens on the first day of school in our society; I also think of what may follow from that and I can’t help but cry. I think what would have been in my soul if I had lived such times as a student. Or worse, I’m seriously wondering if I’ve been here now to talk about it. I am horrified to admit that there is a good chance the answer is be NO.
And I’m really terrified that there are so many children in the same situation I was in when I was a student. I wonder with sadness what is in their souls to know that they no longer receive even those few hours a day of freedom, that one and only change to escape a toxic environment.
I think the real tragedy caused by this pandemic is exactly this: the creation of a school of masks, where children’s freedom no longer exists, or, even worse, the creation of a virtual school where the physical school has completely disappeared.
And it’s sad I can’t change anything. I would like to have a supernatural power and to be able to do something for all those children whose right to therapy that I had was stolen, that therapy that I received for free, unrestricted, unconditionally, and that helped me survive. I wish I could do something for all the children who have to live in such times. But I do not have this power. All I can do is pray that our children’s bodies will be protected from evil. I pray that the souls of our children will remain pure, innocent, and that God will put a supernatural power in them and give them His peace in a time of chaos. In particular, I pray for the minds of our children that God will give them clarity, strength, and the refuge they need in such a time.
May God bless all the children all over the world, not just in Romania, and keep them under His protective wing at such a time. ‘
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The challenge this week (and not only this week) is to pray for the children around the world now more than ever. They are the blessing of today and the future of tomorrow.
Be blessed and remain in the Father’s Love!
Xoxo,
The Father’s Love Team