COVID has made my world smaller. I became so accustomed to not seeing anyone (except my husband) for so long that I got used to it. I know I am not alone in this – this feeling of reaching out to others seems so foreign, and so exhausting.
In the days before COVID, I did a once weekly volunteer gig with an organization that prepares taxes for low-income residents. I was paired with another woman who was a paid staffer. Her name was Cassie, and she was young enough to be my daughter. To my surprise, because I really do not have any “young” friends, we hit it off immediately, and become fast friends - work friends. We honestly just adored each other. I finally took a risk and asked her on a “coffee date”. I thought, “I am this middle-aged lady asking a very cool, very hip person who has a TON of friends out for coffee.” She was thrilled. We had coffee, we talked. Then she told me, “I am moving to San Diego”. It had long been a dream of hers to move to San Diego, and after a painful break-up in the Twin Cities, she thought now was the time. Well, darn.
John and I were in San Diego last week, visiting his mother. I told myself that it had been so long since I had seen Cassie, and then all my negative self-talk told me that she again probably has a TON of young, hip friends, and would she want to get together with this old lady?
I took a risk, which for some of my readers may not seem like such a big deal. For others, you get what I mean.
Of course, Cassie was thrilled to hear from me. And thrilled to get together. And yes, she does have a TON of friends in San Diego. But we picked up right where we left off. Of course, it took 3 hours to catch up on the events that had transpired during the last few years.
This week’s JOY was reconnecting. What a joy it was. I’m glad I took a risk.