The great divide

This week I found one of the posts in my Instagram-feed particularly well written and spot on. It really hit right home with me. It was written by one of the fellow expat-spouses here in Abu Dhabi, about one aspect of this whole situation that is really hard to deal with - the different views, and more importantly - experiences, of this whole COVID-situation, and how it comes to affect friendships.

You would think that a crisis like this would bring us all together, but it seems to go the opposite way. 

There is massive differences in how all different countries deal with this virus, and this has brought on a lot of judgmental comments, heated discussions and debates. Both officially between countries who fight over statistics, numbers and the wear or not of face-masks for example; but also personally with my friends.
The fact is that this crisis is far from over, and nobody can tell (yet - or maybe ever!) who did the right thing, which country was more reactive, who had the best safety measures etc.
One thing is for sure, there are no "winners" in this situation.
We all just need to get through it, but we are all experiencing it differently. Sometimes depending on where we live and the restrictions of that place, same storm - different boats and all that; sometimes it's basically down to our own attitude.

I feel like I have had a personality change during this past half a year+, or maybe it is just my real personality coming through now once everything else is peeled away, and nothing much is left but the very, very basic - but I'm a pessimistic bugger. I used to think I was a realist, but if there is one thing I've realized is that I'm a glass-half-empty kind of person. Yes, my attitude seriously lacks of positivity. I try, I do, to look at the bright side, enjoy the small things, focus on what I can do etc - but I mostly suck at all that and revert back to just thinking it all just stinks.
Maybe this is why I have always surrounded myself with the eternally optimistic types, I have realized many of my friends fit that category actually. I guess opposites attract? But at the moment I am not able to see them, and I feel like we are drifting apart - because of the distance and because our different experiences, the great divide. I have started to wonder if they'll still be there when this is all over. I sure hope so, but I'm worried I'll get out of this crisis lonelier than ever.