The pandemic changed everything. It affected every area of life, from work to school to our relationships with family, friends and loved ones. There are good and bad things that have come from this and as Valentine’s Day has come and gone once again,it is a wonderful time to reflect on the relationships in our lives. Through the pandemic, relationships with family members have changed, for the good and the bad. Our friends have become more like family and the value we place on the relationships in our lives have skyrocketed. These are all important things to acknowledge as we begin to exit the lockdown stage and return to life.
At the start of 2020, no one expected to literally be locked in the house, unable to go anywhere, stuck with their family members. This caused both strife and growth to occur as we navigated the strange world that was emerging. Having to talk to your family and rely on them in ways that were not present before, changes the relationship you had with them. From binge-watching Netflix, to baking bread, these tasks allowed you to get to know family members in new ways. For many, this pandemic has slowed down the daily hustle of life and allowed a reintroduction into our family members’ lives. Learning who they are as people, not just as siblings or parents and gaining perspective into their life. This understanding is so important for fostering good and healthy relationships. These connections that have grown between siblings and with parents are important because it reintroduces values that are often lost in the business of normal life.
Friendships have changed as well. Many people have realized, through this pandemic, that some friendships are not meant to last. With the world shutting down, being able to see friends became difficult, this led to alternative ways of communication. Whether it be zoom calls, Netflix parties or Facetime, friendship groups and how they met evolved. One thing that was realized through the past couple of years is that it is not about the number of friends but about the quality of the friendship. There are people who will check up on you every couple of days or send you a quick message to say that they are thinking about you, but others only reach out if they need something. This is a lesson that everyone should learn, and many have because of the pandemic. Friendships are some of the most important relationships in our lives and choosing your friends can either make your life 100 times better or worse. The pandemic has allowed us to reevaluate what kind of friendships we want in our lives and who we can really rely on to be there at the end of the day.
Romantic relationships have taken probably the largest hit since the start of the pandemic. Both getting into relationships and sustaining one. Online dating became, and still is, one of the easiest and safest ways to date. It also requires innovation as being able to actually see someone in person was difficult. Starting a relationship right before the pandemic, led to a test in the strength of that relationship, right from the start. Many couples were unable to see each other, while others were quarantined together, forced to spend weeks with someone they hardly knew. This pandemic has allowed couples to think about what it means to be together and whether or not their relationship is worthwhile. That may sound bleak, but the reality is that wasting time on someone you do not see a future with is scary, and many realized that settling is not the best option, especially when the future can be so unpredictable.
The future is unclear and who knows what will happen. Valuing and working on the relationships that are important to you is vital, because you never know what will happen that may force you together, or apart. There are good lessons to be learnt from the pandemic, and how it has affected the relationships in your life. From growing closer with your family, even if they drive you crazy sometimes, to gaining a few close friends to finding a significant other that will be there for you — these are all things that have been learnt because of the pandemic. Learning, growing and reflecting on the relationships in your life will help you build strong and happy relationships that last a lifetime.