My nine year old broke down the other night. Hearing about the new lockdown coming this week in our province, his sadness overtook him and he sobbed into his daddy’s arms. It was heartbreaking to watch. He misses his friends, his cousins, his grandparents. He’s lonely even though we’re a family of five and always together. And we’ve always homeschooled so it’s not like he’s missing his classmates. He is just super lonely.
I honestly am far more worried about the mental health pandemic that is upon us than the virus and that may not be a popular opinion but it is what it is. I worry about the people who live alone, the ones who already struggled with mental health before all of this, the ones who are battling depression because a zoom call or a chat in messenger just isn’t enough socialization for them.
I’m a rule follower, I haven’t seen most of my friends or family in a year. I wear a mask on the very rare occasion that I venture out of the house. I never hoarded toilet paper and we isolate any time there’s a sniffle in the house. I’m not bothered by isolation. I’ve been chatting online since I was twelve years old and it’s very fulfilling for me to be honest. A zoom call really does feel like a party to me!
2020 has been an amazing year for me in many ways but it’s taken a toll on some of my immediate family and it’s been hard to watch. I’m grateful for the ways that I can help my little guy process his feelings and feel better almost immediately but I’m honestly worried about what all this isolation is doing to people.
How long can we really go on like this for? I don’t have answers but please know you’re in my prayers and if you’re struggling, my inbox is always open. xo
