Sometimes support and validation do actually come via social media.
For example I have a mutual on ig who I met 10+ years ago at a graduation party because she's my childhood friend's husband's sister. I think we only met once or twice but we connected instantly and afterward my friend's husband told me: "My sister LOVES you." I can't remember what we talked about but I felt the same way.
We're basically just acquaintances but have been lurking each others' ig stories for so many years that I think we have a pretty good grasp of each other's lives. Ever since pandemic we started responding to each other's stories with affirming "100"s and that sort of thing. It may seem like not a lot but it feels good. I don't like to leave wordy messages because responding takes effort, so sometimes just a quick emoji seems like the most polite and non invasive way of showing support without expecting anything in return. Plus this person is a parent and a nurse in a pandemic -- I know she's exhausted after a long day. I think what she's doing is great and I have so much respect for her, so I throw occasional hearts and 100s her way, and am delighted when she does the same. It's nice. The perfect friendship lol. She has said online that she doesn't have many friends. I think she's an introvert at heart and family comes first, and she doesn't care what people think about her and has a strong sense of self. All things I relate to.
Anyway, I like the woman and it feels good to feel that reciprocated in doses that are comfortable and without expectations. It makes sense we'd get along since their family is close and I grew up with the person her brother married. I think humans gravitate toward the familiar, so having the same people and environments around us probably shaped our personalities a bit. It's a good low maintenance yet validating kind of alliance that allows total freedom to grow and do our own thing. So in a way it's better than other kinds of friendships.
It's also super interesting to me to hear first hand what daily life is like for someone working on the front lines, someone who isn't a news anchor, a verified real human who I have met in real life and isn't a troll. It benefitted my mental health I think, to hear opinions from someone on the inside who I know and respect, even when she has bad days. It gives me a sense of what the overall pandemic situation is, and knowledge helps me manage worries and feel secure. I appreciate her honesty, her pride in her daughter, her strong personality, her humor, and her extreme bravery. If I were in her shoes I'd probably have quit my job from day one.
So yeah, social media is actually awesome sometimes, as a window into other people's minds and experiences. There's a lot to be learned from it if we are receptive.
4:35 p.m. - 2021-06-24