How is a "Social Butterfly" Survives the COVID-19 Isolation? Reconnecting!

Diabolical COVID-19!!

We are living in interesting times to say the least. We are seemingly “under siege” by a virus that seems to take no consideration for race, creed, socio-economic position, or any of the other factors with which we consider with others regularly. It feels strange that the best line of defense against this is isolation. For me, isolation can be a challenging thing. Even though I am an only child who enjoys my time alone, this feels different because it’s a strongly recommended practice. For those who know me, I think one of the adjectives you might hear most is that I am a social being. Not quite to the extent I have been in the past, but I draw energy from those around me. With little to no new energy in my space, I feel a bit stagnant. But I am finding ways to cope…one of which and I am surprised to even hear myself say this, is the social media outlets.

I know, I have said in the past that so much of this behemoth in our world wasn’t always a great thing, and I

still feel that way…to a degree. During theses solitary times, it is comforting to flip on our computer or grab our smartphones, and instantly connect and interact with so many other people who are feeling the same way. It has restored my original belief about the power that social media has; to connect individuals together. Plain and simple. Sure, over time the medium has evolved and expanded in some amazing, and not-so-amazing ways. But I feel at present people are re-adapting to the idea that our ability to cone t with each other, even on the most rudimentary levels, is still paramount to us surviving.

Who knew? They did baby!

Over the last few days, I’ve enjoyed re-establishing a connection with more than a few friends who were lost in the ether over the years. Some go as far back as elementary school, and those have meant a great deal. As we get older, we tend to forget about what we were like at certain times in our lives. But let me tell you, there is something magical in a text chat with someone who knew you before puberty. That time of innocence tends to get pushed so far back into our deepest recesses that even we lose track of those trains and feelings. To hear a friend say, “OMG, do you remember that time when we…” and suddenly you do…it’s priceless. You are back in the moment, experiencing those childhood memories that we think are long lost, but just needed some help in locating them.

Over the coming days and weeks, our fears will at times get the worst of us. A cough, a sneeze, feeling a bit

Don't let your hypochondria win!

more fatigued than normal, and we will convince ourselves that we have “it.” As a gay man of a certain age, I recall another time, not that long ago in fact, were similar symptoms could mean you have contracted a different type of “it.” Whether it is real or not, the best we can do is to limit contact, and try to ride it out until we can either fight it on our own, or there is a proven medication that can help not just combat COVID-19, but eradicate it all together. While that other “it” I mentioned hasn’t been completely cured, chances of living a long healthy life are not just a wish, it’s a reality. Keeping the faith will be tough at times, but we can get through it…together.

Another of the “perks” of this time of isolation, at least for me, will be a more active schedule of blogging. I also might finally have the time to amp up plan s for a podcast a friend and I have been kicking around for a while now. Once we have more solidified plans, we will spread the word…but that’s all we hope to spread! So, go forward, be safe, learn the benefits of the “elbow rub,” or a “fist bump” until the days when we can show how much we mean to each other with my personal favorite expression; a hug. Until then, here’s a virtual hug, from the heart, to you from me.

Thanks for reading!