If anything positive comes out of this difficult time, it will be strengthened connections to others. When I think of my family, I feel so blessed with a wonderful husband, daughters, sons in law, grandchildren, cousins and machatenistas. Given my lack of technological skill, I never thought I would be saying that technology is a blessing, but it is. Consistent zoom contact with children and grandchildren who live far from here as well as visits from our daughter who lives within driving distance have taken away some (not all) of the pain of separation and have brought us closer together. And yet, once the call or visit is over, I know there will be a time when I am teary, knowing that a physical hug is irreplaceable, while also feeling gratitude for their presence and for knowing that a loving husband is right there with his hug.
Our closest friends from college (some of whom date back to high school) Zoom twice every week and feel like family coming together. Old friends have been rediscovered through our H.S. reunion that couldn’t take place—and yet the relationships have re-developed and been nurtured through Facebook and Facetime.
I have tried to be even more involved with TBE classes and committees and that has made it possible for me to feel connected to new people and strengthen earlier relationships. The work of TBE committees help me feel more connected to people I’ve never met and help me feel that I can still work on issues facing the broader community even if I cannot physically attend meetings, rallies or demonstrations.
It is a double-edged sword: With each Zoom, I long to hug my family, hold them, regain that sense of safety that enables us to travel to be with them and not need to think about health and safety so regularly. What often gets me through is gratitude for health and relationship. What I need to hang onto is the hope- Hatikvah.
