Editor’s note: This essay was written by 13-year-old Annalia Small as an assignment for her seventh grade class at Willie J. Williams Middle School in response to the coronavirus crisis. Her father, Jim Small, shared it with The Observer.

Those who feel empathy are often called weak, whereas those who cannot feel the pain and joy of others gain power in the world. The true feeling of empathy is to not only understand, but experience the mindset of the people around them. Some use that to their advantage and go on mission trips or volunteer in their own community. Others may not have that kind of time and have to use it on family, examples may include caring for younger siblings, housework, or sometimes, but unfortunately, helping with bills. There are several ways, however, if you are struck with the luck of time and energy, to make situations and life better and more beneficial for family, friends, and your community.

Many children and young adults in these times spend most of their day on technology. Whether using it for their own pleasure or utilizing it for work or school, it has become an incredible plague among the communities of the twenty-first century. Some ways to help out family, through technology and without it, include making chores and extra tasks more fun by using apps which give you points and rewards, or using obligations that bring family together, such as fixing the yard, preparing dinner together, or doing the laundry. It is important that I take a section of my day to help out my family by not just “finishing my list” but doing extra things that make the home and the family a happier entity to be a part of.

Little things are important. For example, washing a few windows, or sweeping off a porch. But those are examples others have given me. I have come up with a few of my own, such as folding someone’s laundry for them, organizing a communal storage system, or simply taking time to have a conversation with them. Now these options are simply for home life and improving the family, but we can take it a step further to include friends. The commonplace of interaction of friends at a younger age is school, but with the recent appearance of COVID-19, all schools have been canceled indefinitely, and though in our area of the United States it is not prohibited to leave your home and interact with others, it is not wise. The idea of helping out friends is not lost, though, for I can do things such as regularly interact with them and lift their spirits. I could pick up a task for them if they are not feeling well. It is important to acknowledge an opportunity to help someone out, especially if they are your friend.

Community is something, though we may not realize it, we are all a part of. No matter where you are, or what is going on, with the abilities we have now (ex. technology), improving your community is simple and a wonderful thing to do. In repeat, I do have ideas to help out in my community during these impending times of fear. Ways include picking up trash on my road, writing letters to those in homes, or messaging those alone right now during this fearful epidemic. Many do not have family to spend time with or to distract them from their strife. It is important that we realize that and do our best to help lift their spirits.

This kind of spread and lockdown from a virus has not happened for a hundred years, therefore I must use this opportunity, in its horrificness, to better my family, friends, and community by doing the extra, little things in my daily life.