Friendships in the Age of COVID
Crises always show us who our true friends are.
On top of everything 2020 has wrought, I, like many others, have had to end some friendships.
But that's a good thing. Difficult times always reveal who your true friends are, and who has merely been seeking attention — who's only interested in what they can get from you and doesn't give anything in return.
This year has made it more clear than ever before that some people don't want friends — they want fans. They want people to follow them around (or on social media) and hang on their every word. To compliment them and laugh at all their jokes. They want to be popular and admired. But when it comes to actually being a friend, they offer nothing but disappointment.
I have recently been disappointed by coworkers who I thought were also my friends but clearly showed that they weren't the least bit willing to do simple things and make painless changes to help keep me and others safe during this pandemic. Even though I did those things for them and repeatedly asked them to return the favor, they scoffed at me and continued to do whatever the hell they wanted.
I was shocked one day when someone I had been friendly with for years accused me of acting superior because I had been strongly encouraging COVID-19 safety…
