{"id":11664,"date":"2020-07-26T23:20:32","date_gmt":"2020-07-26T22:20:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.themanchesterreview.co.uk\/?p=11664"},"modified":"2020-07-30T15:06:47","modified_gmt":"2020-07-30T14:06:47","slug":"a-letter-by-paige-hamilton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.themanchesterreview.co.uk\/?p=11664","title":{"rendered":"A Letter<\/em> by Paige Hamilton"},"content":{"rendered":"

Year 7 Our Lady’s RC<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dear Future Paige,<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

How are you doing? How’s Mum and Dad? How are the brats? Of course, I mean our darling sisters. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019m doing okay, we\u2019re still in lockdown (week twelve to be precise). It’s been tough, I\u2019m not gonna lie. Somedays I’m not even getting out of bed until lunch! Yeah mum\u2019s not impressed, she says I\u2019d feel better if I followed a routine; but seriously what’s the point? I can’t go to school, I can’t see my friends, I can’t even see Nana, or Grandad or even Aunty Kirsty. We\u2019ve not had Keira and Esme since week two of lockdown when Aunty Shelley worked from home. Though we should hopefully be having them back in two weeks since Aunty Shelley needs to go back to work. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a> Hopefully we don\u2019t have another spike before then. You see, I don\u2019t know if you remember, but there have been a lot of protests lately. George Floyd, a black man in America, was killed by police who knelt on his neck. It was so sad. Mum and Dad told me not to watch the video, but it’s everywhere. He said he couldn\u2019t breathe, he cried for his mother. It makes my stomach churn. How can the people who are meant to protect us do that? The world is protesting, Black Lives Matter. You see, racism is a thing today, it’s not as bad here in the UK as the US, but it\u2019s here. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

I hope, future self, as you read this you can smile a little. Maybe go and write another letter about the changes that have been made in the past twelve years. I hope there’s been significant change, for all our sakes. It feels like the world is falling around us now. Hopefully in the future, we will rebuild it into something better.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The days are kind of blurring together. We do some school work, we go in the garden, we play computer games, we eat and sleep. Computer games are one of the only ways I’m keeping in contact with others. I play with Keira, Isabelle, even Nathan and Coby. Yeah, who would have thought I\u2019d get on with them! But you see, I’ve kind of not been talking to anyone from school. Year 7 was hard; I have friends for when I\u2019m at school, and I have \u201cCusabell\u201d (remember the nickname Abbie gave Isabelle!), but I don\u2019t feel a connection to anyone else yet to talk about \u201cstuff\u201d. I\u2019m sure you remember the feeling. So, I’m feeling kind of isolated. <\/span><\/p>\n

I know I’m moody and snappy, hopefully when I can go back to school, I\u2019ll feel better. It’s just Year 7 was a washout. I wish we could repeat it. Without the pandemic. But there are good points too; I’ve learnt that I really like to bake; only deserts, but yeah, I’m having fun messing about with recipes and creating different designs. Maybe I’ll be a cake chef? Who knows! Do I even still bake? If not, put this letter down, go and make a chocolate fudge brownie, then come back with a big slice and a glass of milk!<\/span><\/p>\n

I’ve been missing gymnastics as well. I practice in the garden nearly every night on the air track, but this past week it’s been too wet, so I’m feeling a little rusty. Do we still do gymnastics? The plan was to teach gymnastics on the side, did I ever do that? I hope so, if only for a few years, maybe whilst at college or university.<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s not all doom and gloom. I think I’m feeling a little \u2018meh\u2019 today since it’s raining again (though the thunderstorms have been awesome to watch!). A few weeks back, we camped out in the garden, which was fun. On Friday of week eleven, we went to the Clough, which was the first time we left the house! Yeah you guessed it, Dad\u2019s been paranoid about it all, said \u201cwe have a garden why risk it?\u201d I get it kinda, but still\u2026 Anyway, we went to the Clough, had a picnic\u2026 oh, do you remember the herons? Dad and I got some good photos; hopefully we kept them, they had babies in the nest. I wonder if they will be there next year if the world is back to normal. Or if they just picked there this year because it’s been quiet. Well, anyway we had fun. I smiled. Mum says I need to do that more, so I scowled at her, but she knows I was messing. Some of us have been at each other’s throats and I think we all needed that; we kept our distance and relaxed. <\/span><\/p>\n

Overall, lockdown has been frustrating and a little depressing. I’ve managed to do my school work, though sometimes, I need to ask for help. Mum\u2019s good at helping, Dad just confuses me more! I’m just hoping this new \u201cnormal\u201d is not the forever normal. I need contact with people my age, I need school. I need an escape. Hopefully come September, this new normal will change to another new normal. <\/span><\/p>\n

Hope we smile more, see you in the mirror.<\/span><\/p>\n

Paige<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Year 7 Our Lady’s RC Dear Future Paige, How are you doing? How’s Mum and Dad? How are the brats? Of course, I mean our darling sisters. I\u2019m doing okay, we\u2019re still in lockdown (week twelve to be precise). It’s been tough, I\u2019m not gonna lie. 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