I’m going to speak on what I think is a known issue today, yet I wonder who many have not thought so far ahead in the future to consider the long term affects on our relationships. Covid19 is bound to amend what we have known all personal affairs to resemble as we attempt to move forward.

There is the most publicized issue: children are now out of schools and at home all day with their parents. This affects the child’s schooling, socializing and I would venture to also say security. If it is a good result or bad depends on the attitudes of the family they are raised within. Parents are now expected to not only deal with their children 27/7  but they are also expected to teach (or at least tudor) all subjects ON TOP OF working their own profession from home. I feel for them. I couldn’t imagine being in their shoes during this. Or if your children are not school aged but toddlers (like my granddaughter who just started crawling this week at 9 months!) parents juggle management, playtime and nap times with their workload, praying they won’t scream and cry during the office meeting on Zoom or Go To Meeting. OK- so this is a well-known aspect of quarantine.

How about the generation that we’ve now lost? Literally, Italy has lost an entire senior generation due to death from the virus. There are grand and great-grandparents world wide that we weren’t able to say good bye to, hold their hand in the last times nor say respects with all their loved ones since we cannot attend funerals. I hope, for the families sake, memorials will take place. People need the closure from such a tragedy in normal circumstances, now ever so much more to cope with the future family gatherings or holidays without a loved one.

Then there is the essential workers who have seen more death than war and who have not had the physical support of their family to see them through. Marriages, parental roles and friendships will look and feel different. I pray they are for the better; that gratitude and thankfulness for everyone’s life will prevail. That out of respect for the lost, we would honor the living through appreciation and respect. But many may turn to bitterness, lack of faith or resentment in the system, god or fellow mankind.

Distance affects friendships. Some relationships are built on common interests and taking away the ability to do that thing or go to that place may test its strength. Others may be so bound up in trying to perform what the need to make life look like now, that they have no time or energy to connect with others. Face it- communication is hard to keep up with in this manner! I’ve already had my own struggles trying to lead and stay in contact with my employees mostly by phone or email. It is very easy to get lazy and back away, when I know I should be a better motivator. Kind of wish I had a motivator to be a motivator about now; it’s not coming naturally.

This is just the tip of the ice-burg but the most valuable. The optimist in me hopes we will be better people after what we experience. That’s all up to us; we will make it only what we chose to.  Make the decision to make the right choice now. Find ways now you know you want to amend or omit from your future, and then hold yourself to it.

Stay home, stay safe, (try hard to) stay connected.