Zach Gilbert
NEWS EDITOR
Quality time with loved ones has offered many an escape from the toils and troubles of these unprecedented times. ForUNO senior Mia Isaak, her family has brought her love and light during quarantine
Isaak, an aunt of two, was blessed this past summer by the birth of her niece, Brooklyn. After having already cherished time spent with her nephew and Brooklyn’s older brother, Chase, Brooklyn’s arrival brought additional light to her life.
“Brooklyn, or ‘Baby B,’ as we call her, is just one of the happiest babies I have ever met,” Isaak said. “She smiles at anything and everyone. She has also just started to learn how to laugh, and it is absolutely contagious.”
When Brooklyn was born, certain health precautions were still in place as a result of the pandemic, causing Isaak to wonder how long it would be until she could hold her niece for the first time. While not wanting to put her niece at risk, she also craved connection to the latest member of her family.
“No one was allowed to go see her in the hospital until she came home,” Isaak said.
However, when Brooklyn and her mom were eventually released, nothing could keep this aunt away from her new niece.
“I now get to see my niece and nephew at least once a week, when I go over to my family’s house for dinner on the weekend, and they always greet me right away” Isaak said. “And when I hold Brooklyn, I always make sure to wash my hands thoroughly ahead of time to protect her [from any harmful germs].”
Though there is much to appreciate about aunthood, Isaak singles out the satisfaction that her niece and nephew’s happiness brings her.
“My favorite part about being an aunt is the sense of appreciation for pure joy that I get from [my niece and nephew],” Isaak said. “They remind me that there are literally so many things to be happy about, even when these times seem really bleak.”
Especially when staring down the struggles caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, serenity seems to be in short supply nowadays. Nevertheless, Isaak maintains that her niece’s birth has impacted her perspective on this plight as a whole.
“Brooklyn’s birth has made life much less sad,” Isaak said. “I get the privilege to sort of escape the terrible things we see on the news or on social media when I get to spend time with my niece and nephew. I get to have fun when I am with them, and fun is not very common right now.”
Even outside of the pandemic, Isaak explains how being an aunt has altered her perception of life, causing her to concentrate less on outside concerns and more on the moments that matter most.
“Being an aunt has just showed me that there really is a lot to be joyful about in life, and those are the things you should focus on,” Isaak said. “Like I said before, my niece and nephew are always so full of joy, and it’s hard not to feel the same when you are around them.”
