How much I miss hugs and kisses! I am a perpetually in motion lover of physical contact, and the COVID 19 pandemic has hurt me in a place I hadn’t realized. I find myself approaching people and have to remind myself I am not ALLOWED to get closer. I want to do everything in my power to stay safe and to keep everyone else safe. Never has that been more important to me.
My ability to “stay away” was tested when we had dinner with our daughters and sons-in-law, socially distanced, at a restaurant outdoors. Although we were grateful to be able to do so, it hit me hard, this need to not embrace. Bruce and I arrived at the restaurant early to scope out its location in Philadelphia, close to our kids’ homes in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. We sat literally on the street and people-watched colorful and black masks appear and move on. We read the menu and planned our meal, and then looked up to see our beautiful children…our younger daughter, Emily and her husband, Jeremy arrive, followed by our older daughter, Allison and her husband, Dave. I felt my desire to hug and kiss them take center stage but I held back. We were celebrating the 21st anniversary of Alli and Dave. We had reason to celebrate! Every day our children are happily together makes me happy…celebrating 21 years is simply wonderful. So, in days passed, we would have gotten up from our seats and hugged our children, congratulated them with our entire being. But that was then, and this is now. We had to settle for loving glances and thrown kisses…are those the new COVID Kisses? Sitting with all of that warm energy was special, but I wanted more than anything to envelop all four of them in my usual way.
Thinking about COVID Kisses has given me a desire to create one to let those in my world know how I feel about them. What signal can we use in place of a hug, handshake, physical connection? Everyone will, undoubtedly, find their own means of so doing. My dear friend told me that she touches toes with her family when they are at the pool together, not hugging, but toe-touching. Another friend always gives me her elbow, which has also become a common “handshake.”
Until it is safe to envelop those we love or are so happy to see, I am letting you know that touching my heart when I see you lets you know that is where you are…in my heart. Until I can find a better way, please know you are treasured and loved, and I am sending you a million COVID Kisses!
Beautiful