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Jane Natoli's avatar

I really appreciated this and as a person who's lived alone for...what feels like forever at this point (12 and a half years at this point), it's been different to process the day-to-day of this time. The joys are definitely there, as are the real fears articulated so well by them.

By many metrics, I had a bad 2020. But I still have my job, I can pay my rent, I'm healthy, and I do have a core group of friends here who, like the folks featured, I've been able to make new rituals with. But I never feel like I've appropriately gotten to commiserate some of the bad things that occur, even with something as simple as a hug from a friend about a difficult loss.

Strange times, and beautiful to see folks reflect on the joys and struggles of an aspect that I know so well

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Rabi'a Elizabeth B's avatar

I'm no one else's "ride or die" either, never have been... and I'm at much more peace with that after the last 10 months than I ever have been.

Since I'm in my 50s I paid special attention to the interview with the 51 year old:

"I'm fearful that after the pandemic is over I won't be able to cobble a support net back together — that people will close down and not want to admit others."

This. Some of my weekly meetings I rely on now will stay online only, which is great. But some of those meetings are run by wealthy white cis men, and one of them took a distressing turn just today, which means I may not stay in that meeting for much longer.

Fortunately we're starting to build a tiny casual community around a rooftop garden here where I live in Mexico, locals and gring@s together, and I think that may become part of my network of friendly faces even as some of my current options go by the board.

But for some of us who don't have nuclear families, especially older folks with mental health issues or disabilities like autism ... yep, the threat of marginalization is always there.

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