With rest in place quarantines and social distancing, a lot of us might be feeling disconnected and lonely. If you find that you’re struggling with the isolation, maybe you can use these circumstances as an opportunity to reach out and connect with someone you care about but don’t have physical access to. Maybe you can use this time to reach inward and explore pieces of who you are and what’s important to you. Maybe you can use it to connect with people you’re quarantined with as a way to pass the time.
One thing this pandemic has taught me is all the privileges and practices in my life I’ve taken for granted. I have realized and learned so many things about me which I never realized in the past. Like how crazy I am sometimes with myself and people I love …I never knew until a few days back that I have so many things to work on myself. Also, I have immense gratitude towards the loved ones in my life who have made me realized so many things in the past two weeks which I was unaware of myself. This quarantine period is like a self-awareness period for all of us to know ourselves better. So many things I have felt like how I’ve taken for granted food security and regular access to certain living necessities. Being able to hug people I care about and share close spaces. Being able to travel freely. Yes, the thing I miss the most is going out.
It’s been a reminder of how valuable we are to each other; of how interconnected and dependent we are. Of the systemic inequities at every level of society and of all the people whose work is often overlooked and labeled as “unskilled” when it’s actually just undervalued; the work of farmworkers and grocery store clerks and the people who clean our public spaces. I keep coming back to our shared fear. Our shared resilience and value to protect the people we love. Our shared humanness.
Due to this period, I am back to my old self, who loves to write, who loves to workout, who loves herself more than anyone else, and most important who understand people and is more compassionate, loving and caring ..(and this were the things missing in my life, thank you for making me realize this )…
And through this hard time, I don’t want to let the fear and isolation make me withdraw inward. I don’t want to ever take for granted the people I love who won’t be here forever or my ability to connect right now today. And so as we’re being asked to distance, I’m trying to find ways to lean in – into myself and to connections.
Life is so short and the future is uncertain. But one thing that’s clear is that we need each other. So if you’re looking to connect to, I hope these can help facilitate some self-exploration or genuine connection.
What are you doing to connect with people during social distancing and quarantine? To connect with yourself?
What has this pandemic made you realize you took for granted?
Khushi Sharma 