What did you most miss lately? Is it the freedom to explore new destinations, the indulgence of restaurants and cafes, or the sparkly reunions with your friends? Probably the first two because being close to your friends was never an issue. Distance is nothing when it comes to friendship. Especially when you have so many video conferencing tools at hand.
What we’ve learned in the last two months is that people who matter are always close. And we weren’t the only ones to know it. In April, Zoom reported more than 300 million daily meeting participants and Facebook introduced its own video conferencing tool, Facebook Workplace. Not to mention Facetime, Google Meet, Skype, and others. Indeed, these tools were also used for remote work but staying in touch with friends and family was a big part of their success.
Finding new ways of communication was the main issue of the last two months. Convincing grandmas to pick up a strange-looking phone and see your face in real-time was our milestone. Sharing virtual meals with friends that live next door was a great way to enjoy a Saturday night. Talking about anything and nothing, in particular, was our way of balancing an awkward situation. But we didn’t just endure a bad situation and tried to make the best out of it. We rediscovered friendship.
You don’t get to choose your family, but you do choose your friends. Some of them have been by our side since kindergarten. Others you’ve met last year but seem to know you for a lifetime. Friends may come and go but when they’re around they’re the best things that can happen to you. That’s because friends don’t judge you but you’ll get their honest opinion right between the eyes. They don’t always agree with your decisions but are there to fight for whatever stupid idea you have. Again. They don’t like it when you call in the middle of the night to complain about not having anything good to see on TV but they understand that you’re lonely and answer the phone anyway. Friends do all sorts of crazy stuff for you.
Some of them seem to have magical powers too. They wink at you and you feel better. They make you laugh in the darkest moments. And they find endless conversation topics that give you strength and courage. Who cares you can’t meet them in person? They’re by your side from any corner of the Universe. And in the last couple of months, they really had a lot of work to do.
“If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together… there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart… I'll always be with you.” – Winnie the Pooh