I recently just went through an online photography course from National Geographic that focused on educating and helping young photographers in creating meaningful photo stories that will have an impact on our society, no matter how small. This was my submission. #GenGeo.

It was a glorious evening in our neighborhood. People were all a-chatter. Lights everywhere. The sounds of laughter, the smell of popcorn. Stalls all around the vicinity: selling toys, balloons, and all kinds of delicious treats... To many children, all kinds of new wonders.

This was at a time that COVID-19 cases were at an all-time low. Although it was only in the evenings, and only for a few hours at a time, the people still celebrated something as simple as the re-opening of the playgrounds.

As I put these photos together, I was struck by something very sad and very heartfelt. Indeed, the words to a certain song came to mind: "They say that these are not the best of times, but they're the only times I've ever known..." - Summer, Highland Falls by Billy Joel.