Saturday, March 02, 2024

Day Two: A Month of Birthday Gratitude

I hope my Friendship Circle peeps didn't feel left out when they weren't mentioned in my friends post yesterday. 

Friendship Circle deserves a post of it's own.

In the Fall of 2020 a friend of mine and I started Friendship Circle - an online group for people with disabilities to combat the loneliness and social isolation of COVID. Over three years in, Friendship Circle is still going strong. We have a messenger group, a video meeting every Saturday, and a game night, usually every other Friday. We have people from across the US, and even a few international people: from England, Germany, France, and Mexico. 

There is a core group of about 12 - 15 of us, and we are very close. We have emergency video meetings when someone is in crisis. We send each other cards in the mail and do a gift exchange twice a year. We are there for each other in good times and in bad.  

Friendship Circle is an important part of my life. I am also part of another online group for people with disabilities and I have participated in book clubs and other online activities. The pandemic as an official classification is over, but social isolation, loneliness, and the need to distance continue for many people with disabilities, health conditions, and older adults. Virtual and hybrid options open up the world and provide social opportunities for so many that cannot attend events in person. 

Shout out to FC! Love y'all!

librarianintx

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