I don’t love Zoom calls. It’s been especially hard for me to want to do leisure video calls when much of my workday consists of being on video calls. Up until now, it’s been a minor annoyance.
I wrote the other day about the energy transfer being different over video call vs in person, and before, that was the main thing that I disliked about being on video calls only. It seemed to drain my energy.
As I was on a Zoom call this evening, I realized that, maybe since the first time this quarantine hit, I really had a strong desire to SEE the people I was talking to. Before, it was just I didn’t feel as energized or excited from seeing them, but tonight, it was more than that. I desired to be with them and give them a hug. To have a real conversation that didn’t feel like it was being dragged over 500 miles of separation.
I’ve built several friendships now almost solely from video calls, but it seems there is a difference from friendships that you build only from that and ones that you build in person that are forced to turn into that.
When you begin your friendship over calls, both sides know what to expect and the communication seems more natural because it’s all you know. When you begin a friendship in person, you can depend on the relationship growing just by the nature of seeing the person. As soon as that’s gone, you realize how much more intentional you have to be to keep it.
Realizing also in the last couple of weeks that I am a very activity-based person. I love building friendships around doing stuff together. Seeing people in different situations and getting to know a full side to them. Being cooped up in the house or over calls, you aren’t quite able to have the same activity level with others to understand them on multiple levels.
I continue to learn more about others and especially myself during this interesting season of life. I also continue to realize and think on how extremely blessed I am. I have an amazing family, girlfriend, coworkers, and friends who support me from close by and afar very well. I know God will support me wherever he takes me, but I am sure grateful he chose to do it in this way at this time.