For me, I have friends who stay in touch through email, because of their own health issues with the pandemic.

Other friends have disappeared, and after contemplation, not a big loss, since we are not doing the activities that connected our time together.

However, to choose between children who need stability, love, and safety, not a single friend has abandoned staying in touch.

Here's to finding the balance and knowing it's not you, it's theirs.

it's maybe too soon to conclude anything Arfie. One day of not hearing back from friends you call could mean
anything.
Sending peace, and no worries.

"Abandonment Issues" have had an interesting place in my psych portfolio. There has been discussion that abandonment issues are behind my international flight patterns, but the more prolific discussions have been over how my sudden disappearing acts have *caused* abandonment issues for others, most especially for my two natural children.

The feelings of abandonment here in the isolation of Coronaville seem to be going some strange places. Well, mask it all! ! !

I feel you, arfie. I'm not good at maintaining relationships when there is, well, effort involved. I've let some of my closest friends slip away simply because they weren't in my day to day life and so I didn't make much of an effort. I've started reaching back out via texting, and it's been great to hear from them, but it's hard to maintain a relationship via text. "Some day" we'll be able to get together again, but until then I guess texts are what we have.

I am hopeful that the light at the end of the tunnel is growing brighter, and it's not an on-coming train. Don't get me wrong, I know things are still a mess and life in our little hidey-hole is strained and stressful and everything else. And I think our return to "normalcy" is gonna be slow and stuttering, which, honestly, may be for the best.

Sending you peace and hope.

One of our brothers-in-healing posted earlier this week about "Self-Rules" which included the notorious All-Or-Nothing rule. The all-or-nothing rule is one of the meaner components of the extreme swings which had me under treatment for bipolar until the PTSD dx came along.

I wonder now if that post be the trigger for my sudden urge to break textual silence with the age peers who disappeared from our lives at the first whisper of, "Pandemia."

The only normal I have ever really believed in is, "Normal For Me." The fact that Normal-For-Me had been shot out of the proverbial water such a short time before Corona crowned might make it a little extra hard to know which part of the Corona Life has been the marshal law mandates and which are strictly personal.

Dunno. . . Color me more confused than ever.

Most seem to think it is all or nothing. I hardly hear from some anymore but with my new job, I can visit with seniors and talk about nonsense things just to keep their minds busy. It is helping me too. I do wear the mask and try not to touch anyone but I am company for some.

I keep in touch w/the phone calls, but haven't seen a friend in quite a while. My best moments were w/a friend who I'd eat out with, but now he doesn't eat out anymore. I miss those great meals we had!!
If you have another outlet, if you're working or volunteering, or have a big family, keep talking to them or keep busy with them. Keep yourself occupied and in touch w/people. Good luck!!