Introduction In late 2019, the first whispers of a highly contagious virus started to make headlines around the world. By early 2020, the world as we knew it ceased to exist. The mysterious COVID-19 virus has spread around the globe at an alarming rate affecting millions of people worldwide. Our language changed. Words and phrases like pandemic, isolation, quarantine, social distancing, flatten the curve, stop the spread, and mask up dominated our conversations, and pervaded our thoughts and minds. Flights were grounded. Traffic stopped. Grocery store shelves were emptied as panic took over. Museums, parks and places of worship were closed. Schools shut their doors. People around the world were told to retreat indoors and shelter in place. Time stood still. As the world was facing the unknown, humanity stood on the precipice: would society as we know it break down, or would we rise up and face these new challenges with determination, optimism, and a will to, not just survive, but thrive? The idea of the book, Together……Apart was born from the desire to highlight humanity at its darkest hour to unite people, even as they remained physically apart. The narratives, articles, poems, artwork and stories from around the world that were chosen from the global call for submissions exemplify the very real and raw human emotions that defined the first few months of the pandemic: fear, hope, uncertainty, love, depression, faith, loneliness and gratitude. They demonstrate how the COVID-19 pandemic has forced us, in so many different ways, to challenge the status quo and to question our concept of “normal”. Though the future before us remains a mystery, we hope that this book becomes a testament to the human spirit and how, at our darkest moment, we remained connected. We built the foundations for countless moments of light — small gestures of compassion and acknowledgements of gratitude that allow us to show who we are, how we want to live, and what matters to us. Together……apart, we will remain unified.
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