Why do we feel pain in our body and mind when we are socially isolated? The COVID-19 pandemic not only took away our chance to meet new people but also severed our existing relationships. For instance, with each adjustment of social distancing levels, plans to meet friends were made and then canceled, leaving me with friends I haven’t seen in over two years.

The pandemic has indeed made many people sick, both physically and mentally. It’s hard to distinguish whether it’s our bodies or minds that are hurt, and these impacts don’t always show up in statistics. Life has become bruised. The root cause is the thorough isolation between people. The answer is clear: we need to diligently meet those we couldn’t during isolation. We need to meet, eat, travel, and love more earnestly to make up for the lost time.

Isolation, Pandemic, Relationships