How Many Close Friends Do You Have? Let me inform you their capabilities!

Close relationships are one of the central aspects of life that gives it meaning;  Those closest to us can help support and challenge us, make our lives more meaningful and enjoyable, and even hurt, disappoint, or betray us.   While a person could certainly go through life "solo," our basic to more complex needs are often the product of many relationships, both formal and informal, and often involve different forms of friendships, partnerships, and sexual partners.

Digital, online life has undoubtedly transformed the more traditional "analog" expectations of close relationships...it can add more nuance, contact time, unique fun shared experiences, and in many ways more complications.   Finding a potential partners is easier with online apps and websites, but research is now saying this is true only for a select few or with those that know how to best "promote" themselves.  Digital life also comes with costs to our privacy, sense of availability, sense of self or identity, and how we spend the hours the make up our lives.  Communication is a central part of all of this, and is an essential part of any relationship from start to finish.

COVID-19 has also undoubtedly isolated people, but the digital can help us orient towards each other, for better or worse.  Depending on your relationship with close partners, this can create deeper bonds and break through barriers, or conversely reinforce or push people away from each other.