The heart of the matter

My two cents

Moneca Jantzen Editor

few weeks into the new year, hopefully most of us have managed to dodge the various illnesses said to be floating around and clogging up our beleaguered health care system. While I haven’t been donning a mask when out and about, I have one on hand in case I feel I’m in a situation where there are just too many people around. I also find that habits established during the worst of COVID linger and I tend not to go out that much anymore. Days can go by and I realize I haven’t hopped in the car to go anywhere.

It makes me wonder how many other people’s habits have changed in this way. How many of us have altered our social habits and are maybe lacking connection and sociability? I’m sure many have resumed old patterns and jumped at the chance to get life back to “normal” yet many have not.

Some of us continue to work remotely if we are still working and have yet to retire. Those that have recently retired may now feel the isolation that comes with no longer fraternizing with coworkers regularly, a potentially difficult adjustment regardless of the lingering influence of COVID. Many seniors may still not have resumed seeing family and friends as often as before for fear of getting sick or maybe people’s habits have just changed after almost three years of practice.

Speaking for my own situation, I live with my immediate family members; I moved to the outskirts of town and I now work remotely, happily so. I no longer see coworkers regularly nor spend time with friends often. I have become habituated to ordering online for things other than groceries, so I don’t shop as frequently in person as I did previously. I rely on Facebook to keep me aware of the activities of family and friends both near and far. Aside from a nice three hour video call with my sister at Christmas, I no longer write letters, send cards or even chat very much with anyone.

I have given up on the dating scene entirely (who needs all that rejection?!) and I keep interactions on social media to a minimum as they are not very rewarding either. The only exception to that rule is the group on Facebook that supports my virtual reality exercise habit of Supernatural. It is quite possible that I am becoming a bit of a hermit although I have always been an introvert. It worries me a little bit, but I tell myself I will seek out connections if and when I feel it to be necessary for my mental health or otherwise. It is interesting to me what a person can become accustomed to over time.

I’m sure I’m not alone in this experience. I observe my daughter and future son-in-law trying to resume a more “normal” lifestyle since COVID changed everything and while they have managed to go on a few quick trips, concerts, nights out, movies at the theatre, etc. they still struggle for things to feel normal again as well. The damage done by the lockdowns will be with us for some time.

February is traditionally a month where we contemplate our love lives on Valentine’s Day and making connections with people we care about on Family Day. We also relate it to caring for our heart health. While there is no doubt that some of us need more contact with people than others do, use this coming month to give some thought to how you can tend to your heart romantically or health-wise or the hearts of the people you love. Maybe you, too, have fallen into a pattern where you are more disconnected than you realized. Make an effort to re-connect with yourself and/or others and make life better for yourself and someone else. It is important to reclaim some of the things COVID took away from so many of us.

Publisher Bob Doull

General Manager Jack Bell (778) 471-7526 publisher@connectornews.ca

Editor: Moneca Jantzen editor@connectornews.ca

Graphic Designer: Dayana Rescigno creative@connectornews.ca

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