Gem City native Loveyah Stewart is a photographer who thrives on capturing vibrant images of the people and places in our community. Social distancing, though, has given her a new perspective. Here’s her West Dayton Stories covid commentary:
Being a single person during this pandemic sucks. I never paid attention on the amount of human interaction I depended on. I mean, giving hugs, shaking hands, going to festivals, movies, concerts…heck, just going food shopping without three backup masks and a pocket full of gloves. I miss hanging with my homies. I miss karaoke nights, while eating a plate full of lemon pepper wings.
But I must admit, this amount of time without human interaction sparks something in me, something deep. I noticed that the majority of my relationships, both business and personal, lacked boundaries, understanding the importance of having that invisible line that separates me from you.
That line allows me to value my own feelings and needs and not feel responsible for how others feel or react to my boundaries. Hmmm. Who knew boundaries were so important?
I'm so curious to see how this new era of life will play out for me. Hm. Heck, I wonder how long it'll be before I can go to my mom's house and raid her refrigerator.
Maybe I can grab a hug or two. That's if I'm not crossing any boundaries.
West Dayton Stories is produced by Jocelyn Robinson at the Eichelberger Center for Community Voices and is supported by CityWide Development Corporation.
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