“Dear Best Friend, I hope you have been able to stay safe during this pandemic. It would hurt me…”

Dear Best Friend, I hope you have been able to stay safe during this pandemic. It would hurt me immensely if someone I cared about or loved would be hurt or killed from catching the virus. Even much more than that, it would hurt me to know I unknowingly infected someone else due to my carelessness by refusing to stay at home, or by not following health guidelines. For that please forgive me for choosing not to meet you in person. Since the pandemic and stay at home orders began, I have been diligent in sleeping at home with my family, only going out for essentials such as stocking up on food. Working at home was not much of a hassle to transition to as I had experienced it prior but it is a struggle working with others online who aren't as proficient working at home. Even online meetings, while convenient, prove troublesome as it is hard to maintain a level of privacy with others in the house. I think the hardest struggle for me has been exercising, as I would frequently do so at a gym. Without access to equipment such as weights or an indoor bicycle, I fear I may not only weaken in strength, but also gain weight as well. Should I gain weight, I fear that I'll put myself at risk of diabetes or heart disease, both of which run in the family. Thankfully, as I eat out less and more at home I have been able to maintain my weight. I think the thing I miss the most from the gym would be the pool, as swimming was something I feel I was great at. Returning back to the gym when it is safe to do so will be exciting and daunting, as I'm sure I will be out of practice and will struggle to swim as good as before. We should meet up then and encourage each other, I think I would feel very motivated exercising with you. Or maybe we should hang out with the others at a beach or park just to catch up on enjoy ourselves. Until then, I hope we both stay safe and healthy. Your B.F.F.