My Sisters, My Family
by Marie Kenfak
We are miles apart, yet so close
We are so different, yet so connected
We have felt so isolated, now we have a family
We set up a zoom meeting
We exchange greetings and news
Then each of us does her thing
I wash my dishes, water my plants
Make a pizza for one child, some pancakes for another
I write this piece, I edit my self help workbook
I would have postponed some tasks, then I would have felt bad about procrastinating
I would have felt stressed, then would have convinced myself to not be hard on myself
Then, I would have wondered how I would organise my days for better efficiency
My friends, my sisters, my new-found family, my online buddies, are there with me and for me in a way that feels so good and so empowering
They are a blessing and I love them dearly
It's not easy to have a community. Yet, we have created an online community. We connect with each other multiple times per week, all across the world.
We are not alone. We can do mundane tasks, across the world from each other, with Zoom running, to keep each other company and to help each other find motivation and focus.
We have gotten into the habit of having a weekend session that is open for people to log on, do their own thing, and thrive in each other's presence.
No matter what we call it—body doubling or chosen family—it works!