I hadn t even been aware of it till the phone rang and I winced at the thought of having to raise the energy to talk to someone. I’d hazard a guess it’s not just me. This feeling of retreating inward and away from even our closest friends seems to be a universal one.
I message forward and back with friends on WhatsApp and engage in social media but the real ‘social’ stuff – actually having a conversation with a real friend – is leaving me stumped.
When the day’s work and homeschooling is done, I can’t muster the energy to phone a friend. The chats we’d have over coffee or a walk are distant memories. In their place, a silence I can’t fathom, or raise the energy to bridge.
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When there’s no news to exchange, there’s nowhere for conversation to go but to the true state of our lives and psyches
‘Stomping along in the drizzle together rinses away all the small frustrations that build up through the week, allowing both of you to go home feeling serene rather than steaming.’ Photograph: Amer Ghazzal/REX/Shutterstock
‘Stomping along in the drizzle together rinses away all the small frustrations that build up through the week, allowing both of you to go home feeling serene rather than steaming.’ Photograph: Amer Ghazzal/REX/Shutterstock