Physical Distancing and being social
Hello out there! 😊
We are well past the initial two weeks of distancing. How is everyone faring? The term Social for distancing is inaccurate as we, fortunately, this day and age can still be social. Yes! It’s technology ...all of the social media platforms not to mention the older fashion phone call, FaceTime or heck even snail mail. And being social is vital to humans! We need interaction. We are designed for it. A good read is “Healthy at 100”. These researchers found some of the longest lived peoples had healthy, supportive social environments in common. It’s the physical distancing that is called for now. Family units can be closer than six feet but otherwise it’s 6 feet or greater for health and safety.
If you are like me, a part of you wonders if this is the beginning of a new way of living. I mean why wouldn’t we think such thoughts? Our “officials” on the matter (of COVID-19) keep discovering, the information gets vast and actually is varying (was the virus 3 days alive on metal surfaces or 7? No wait it’s 13 on plastic and...you catch my drift), and recommendations seem ever changing (wearing a mask helps, no it doesn’t, or wait maybe it does). bottom line, it is still being learned about while affecting many very devastatingly. What is felt to be true is physical distance helps. To the point of being very disruptive for many people’s ability to make a living, scary but true... and happening now! These are issues that can be discussed at length and are deserving of it but we won’t go deeply into it this blog. Suffice it to state Social support will become Even more important and what does that look like with physical distancing? Before this virus hit I was actually kind of anti social media... feeling like it’s more of a drain than helpful. And there’s evidence to show this, watch the documentary “Like”. But, in effort to stay more connected I’m on social media more than I’ve ever been and am even a little grateful.
Of course, there still needs to be a balance. Like using different platforms such as Zoom to live meet! We are getting creative! My teens plan a meet to watch a movie with friends and eat popcorn. I might plan a scrabble night with my parents or sip a glass of wine with friends while we chat... all together And yet honoring physical distancing. The balance I mean then is striving for more live interactions verses just sitting and eyeballing fb feed or Instagram for countless hours. And, it almost goes without saying that getting outside-ability is a true blessing! My children and I do more outside together than before the forced slow down of life. I’m sure we aren’t the only ones discovering this. A timeless Truth - life is about finding the Balance. Here‘s to each of you finding balance! A little more cooking together (actually teaching my teenagers recipes and we all cook together in the kitchen more!), a few more in house dance parties, board games and puzzles, more time in the yard planting, weeding, kick ball, badminton etc. Yay!!
More on this topic of Balance to come...