I’m running late posting today. Our daughter’s nurse called in sick last night, and then I’ve had virtual meetings all day. But I just saw something that made me think of this, and I thought it worthwhile to go ahead and share it.
How long has social distancing been going on, really?
The difference is that now it is enforced. But social distancing has been going on for awhile now.
A government report from January 2019 (well before COVID-19) says:
Two in five Americans report that they sometimes or always feel their social relationships are not meaningful.
One in five say they feel lonely or socially isolated.
Over a quarter of the U.S. population )28 percent of older adults) now live by themselves.
43% of seniors report feeling lonely.
We have more and more shallow relationships (think social media) and fewer close relationships.
You may know the feeling of being surrounded by lots of people (at work, shopping, even at church) without really being connected to anyone.
What comes after?
Enforced social distancing may make us more aware of the need for connection. So here’s something positive you can do while we wait for the coronavirus to peak.
Reach out in the ways that you can. Make a phone call, send a text, send an email, even write an old-fashioned letter. (It will be interesting to see if the sales of postage stamps go up during this period.)
Make plans for “what comes after.” Who will you go to dinner with? Who will you meet over coffee? We don’t know when it will be, but the folks at church are already planning the covered dish dinner to celebrate coming together physically again.
Peace.