Last year I was greeting everyone with a smile, hugs and touches. This year I’m waving from six feet away with a mask on my face and maybe bumping elbows.
Last year I was gathering in groups large and small, enjoying the companionship, thinking it was normal. This year I’m home a lot, alone a lot, Zooming a lot, thinking it’s normal.
Last year year I planned my Holidays, as I always did, with people, food, travel, sharing, giving and all the trimmings. This year I planned my Holidays like never before with many questions, many doubts. Could I even have people, food, travel and all the trimmings?
It feels like a lot of losses in this strange year. Many things have gone missing, maybe lost forever. But I am still here.
I’ve certainly changed. But I would have changed anyway. We all do over a year’s time, don’t we?
I know all the things I took for granted last year will never be taken for granted again. (I hope not anyway!) I know all the little things have become big things, the ordinary have become extraordinary and the normal have become, well . . . . . . just odd.
And it all happened so fast – overnight really. Mask wearing went from being an oddity to commonplace in a matter of weeks. Social distancing is being taught to toddlers and the status of the virus is all we talk about anymore.
But it’s the touching I miss. No amount of elbow tapping, waving from a safe distance or Zooming can replace a good solid bear hug for me.
I’m a touchy-feely person from way back but I never realized how much I actually needed to physically connect with people to relate to them until I was not allowed to do so.This year has really brought that to the forefront for me. I am desperate to shake a hand, pat a back, touch a shoulder or stroke an arm that need’s it.
I feel like an island in the ocean struggling to connect with the shore of another island. And I have no paddle.
And let’s talk about those masks!! Can I tell you how much I miss your faces?!
A face without a nose or a mouth has very little expression. It’s only half a face, really. And half a face just isn’t enough for me. I need it all!!!!
I need all the little smiles, smirks, pouts and frowns.
But when all is said and done, it is what it is. And we have to adapt. If not, we are in a constant state of stress, which of course, we don’t need any more of this year.
So is this year different than last year? YES!
Will next year be different than this year? YES!
Will it ever be the same again? NO!
Do we want it to be? Oh gosh, NO!
Are we going to be alright? You betcha WE ARE!!!!