think piece
Trust no one, not even yourself.
Social distancing measures enforce that we avoid socializing (in person) with other human beings. At first, it came as a shock to everyone, and, consequentially, led to people questioning their sense of risk and reward. Some chose to isolate with only their family, others chose to extend the isolation to close friends, and others decided to go out to bars with strangers. Regardless of which type of person you were, odds are, you’ve been rethinking your social life and the relationships you hold dear.
Whom you choose to stand by.
Each person goes through a process of elimination, overthinking about with whom it is they want to spend what everyone initially thought was only going to be 2 weeks. 7 months later, here we are. Every time someone outside of our usual circle asks to hang out, an entire network of possibilities emerges, namely those coming from a web of places, people, and residences that could be too risky for our brave little selves.
Most of us have cut ties with a lot of people or, at the very least, hinted, whilst not necessarily expressing, that we were going to stay away from each other. A process that, I believe, shows which people are truly important to you and which people (as shallow as it may sound) you wouldn’t risk it for.
Introspective thought
Being alone with ourselves for so long has led to a much-needed introspective meditation about who we are, where our place is in the universe, what role we fulfill, etc. Although conclusions and answers aren’t necessarily reached, we do feel as though all this time can be invested in change. People have become more conscientious of the environment, their routine and their lifestyle, as well as how they think. With more time on their hands, people are trying to achieve something better for themselves and for everyone around them, while others may have acknowledged how great they already are. Granted, this is through slow, gradual, and positive process of change.
By Hue Bean