Friendships and connections

Today I would like to talk about the importance of having good people in your life, whether it is people who you catch up with in person or people you chat with online.

When I was young and at school I was always encouraged to have friends and to build connections with my peer group, but this was a bit difficult for me. There where many obstacles in the way like distance, not being able to participate in the same activities, and just having a very different life as a person with a disability and especially being in a wheelchair. 

During this time social media was not encouraged due to issues around bullying or fake people or profiles, so it was not something I explored.

Then a few years ago when Covid-19 hit the world, we were experiencing lockdowns and isolation. Social media became widely accepted and encouraged in a safe way to connect, communicate and build relationships with people.

For me I started spending more time on Facebook and Twitter. I was enjoys chatting with many different people from all corners of the globe. Then I discovered some cousins who my mum had been chatting to for years, but I had not met them or knew much about them as they all live in England. I decided to take a punt and contact them. This is probably one of the best decisions I have ever made. They have become not just my family but my best friends. We chat most days and have such a laugh about all sorts of crazy things as well as sharing in life’s moments. I look forward every day to chatting to one or more of these friends/cousins. 

Some people have asked “How does this work with such a big time difference?” It’s very easy, ask Google what the time is in the UK, or anywhere in the world, or use a app or another website. Once you get to know the times it’s easy to remember. Australia late afternoon/evening is around breakfast time in the UK. This is my favourite time to chat, sometime just for a few minutes, or other days it can be much longer. This is great because it not only makes me happy but it also allows them to start their day in a good mood. 

I have realised that this is just as good as a face to face conversation and I probably spend more time chatting than I would if I was only catching up with a friend once in awhile. Having said that, I would still love to travel back to England and actually meet my cousins face to face, as well as see some of my other family. 

I’m grateful that I have learnt that happy connections can happen on social media. If you have found that you have struggled with making friendships and connections, maybe reaching out to friends or family who live in other states or overseas could be a good place to start. Just remember to always be safe. 

You can follow me on Facebook or Instagram to stay connected with my life and my stories. 

Cheers,
Ethan