Today, a Video Call is Not Enough

At this point, what we feel is normal

It’s the nth week since our region went into lockdown because of COVID-19. Since then, I’ve been living in my condo unit alone. It was a choice since I know I can be more productive by doing so. However, I neglected the fact that during a pandemic, health should be the priority.

While physical health is easier to monitor, safeguarding mental wellness can be more tricky.

Thanks to apps like Facebook Messenger and Zoom, I’m able to talk to people who matter despite being physically apart. These allowed us to chat anytime and even hop into game nights to play virtual competitions over a glass of our favorite drink. At least, during these chats and calls, I didn’t feel I was alone.

These activities gave me a sense of normalcy. But this illusion of normalcy slowly breaks as the weeks pass — revealing the reality that the situation is not normal at all. In fact, there are days that I would wake up longing to see people whom I can talk to, spend lunch with, or go on a walk in a nearby mall. And there are nights that I wish I was having dinner on the same table as the people I love.

I know what you’re thinking — that you feel this, too.

In our situation, face to face chats become video calls, smiles become emojis, and hugs become virtual stickers. While technology helps us bridge the physical distance by giving us alternatives that we can use, there is still a hole that it cannot fill. After all, nothing is better than live conversations, real smiles, and warm hugs.

For what we feel now, a video call might not be enough.