Let’s be honest, the last year has been an absolute rollercoaster. As we approach the one-year mark from the beginning of the very first lockdown, I wanted to reflect on one of the most important things in life — relationships.
Whether you want to talk about relationships with your friends, family, or a significant other, any of them can become one of the most significant parts of your life.
When reflecting on the last twelve months, I think that the pandemic has shown the value of these relationships. While we are all struggling through this difficult time together, the last year has shown the importance of being there for one another. You can’t always be totally aware of what others are going through, so doing our best to be there for our loved ones is extremely important.
My family and friends are two of the most important things in my life, and I don’t know what I would do without them. For so many people, it has been difficult to see the important people in their lives either because of distance or safety reasons.
I realize that I have chosen to be more cautious than most since last March, and because of that it is sometimes just not possible to see all of my friends and family in person. FaceTime has been one of the best ways to stay in touch with friends and family both near and far.
I am so looking forward to the warm weather and more socially distanced activities too. Kayaking and picnics have both become favorites of mine in the last year, and I look forward to soaking up the sun.
The pandemic has also definitely forced everyone to refocus their priorities in all aspects of life, which has caused me to redefine what I view as integral in a relationship. While relationships in your teens and young adult life are never easy, when you throw a global pandemic into the mix it certainly complicates things.
What I have learned to remember through all of this is the analogy of an airplane. On a plane, when you are hit with hard enough turbulence that you are asked to put on an oxygen mask, think of the directions they tell you. You have to put your own mask on before helping your neighbor to put one on. The same rings true both in the pandemic and with life in general. While it is always important to be there for your loved ones, you need to make sure that you are taken care of too.
Although our journeys through this time all differ, remember that you are never alone, and we can all be there to lean on one another!