Loneliness: coping with the gap where friends used to be
Friendships can be difficult, and lockdowns have made them even harder to maintain. But we should cherish them
Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks: showing how city life can isolate us. Photograph: Artiz/Alamy
Edward Hopper’s Nighthawks: showing how city life can isolate us. Photograph: Artiz/Alamy
Sun 18 Jul 2021 04.00 EDT
Almost every day for the past few months, I’ve told my husband I am lonely. Obviously I’m glad that he’s around. What I miss are my friends. In the first lockdown, we stayed in touch with Zoom dates, which were awkward, often drunk and occasionally very joyful. Those days are long gone. I’ve returned to texting, and though I’m often deep in four or five conversations at once, it isn’t the same as being together.