The pandemic has brought a lot of change, but that goes without saying. Worldly change aside, we’ve all experienced very stern differences in our personal lives as well. COVID-19 has pushed us all inward, and the insulated experience of it all has pushed loved ones away too.
About a year ago when the pandemic was nationally declared, I remember speaking with one of my oldest childhood friends about it. He said to me, “I see this as a fresh start. A rebirth.” I didn’t know what he meant at the time, but I assumed it had something to do with housekeeping your personal life.
Since the pandemic pushed us all inwards, there’s been a stronger sense of individuality throughout everyone involved. We’ve all been forced to spend more time with ourselves, and perhaps even reevaluate who we’d like to spend time with once it’s all said and done.
I noticed that same friend becoming more distant as time went on. I had to text them first more and more, and plans that were created were always cancelled. Promising myself I wouldn’t text first, it’s now been an entire year since we’ve spoken. The truth of the matter is that people use the pandemic as a means to escape one another, the “fresh start” involves using COVID-19 as an excuse to leave anyone you didn’t feel comfortable enough being honest with.
It’s understandable for people to use this alone time to evaluate themselves and what they want out of the world. We’ve all changed during this past year, and the “new” version of ourselves that have been created sometimes don’t have room for reminders of our old lives. I didn’t take it personally, if anything I admire their personal growth and wish the best.
That doesn’t mean it won’t hurt, though. We all fall into routines, some lasting years in the form of friendships. When those ties are cut, it can sting. There’s nothing worse than no closure, but you can’t control others actions. The self-evaluation you can commit during this time is the acceptance of letting go of what you can’t control.
Let go of what you can’t control and look towards what you can. The people directly around you who you interact with every day, they’re your real friends. The ones who stuck with you during this year. Don’t let anything happen to them. They are real, and they love you. If you made it through a pandemic together, you’ll make it through anything. The friends you lost along the way… Well… We all have people for different times of our life. When one door closes, another opens. Don’t spend too much time looking back or you’ll hear the one in front of you slam.
Assess who you have and what you wish to accomplish with them. Make an amazing future together and just keep pushing forward.
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