Remember the days when we could smile at others? The days before wearing a mask and the days when we didn’t walk around in a culture of suspicion? Do you feel it? The disconnect?
I find people look down more, won’t engage human to human and good God don’t ever feel like you have to sneeze in public!!!
When do you think we’ll be able to sneeze in public again without people feeling they need to run away!?!?
No … seriously?
This isn’t an anti mask debate. I’m all for keeping my husband alive and doing my part to make it possible for other people who are living with diseases that compromise their immunity to live a little longer as well.
This is about how we have disconnected. How over the pat six months what we wear on our faces has become a statement of who we are. How covering half our face has made us feel but also act anonymous.
To me, to be able to be anonymous in public means I’m alone. It means I’m not connecting with you as a human being, I’m not acknowledging you even exist as I walk by you. I fell we have forgotten that the mask doesn’t limit my ability to speak to say…
hello
thank you
good morning
have a good day
I appreciate you being here at work so I can be here to do this thing I’m doing.
I get that it doesn’t feel natural but we CAN communicate with our eyes.
The thing is the upper half of our face doesn’t lie as easily as the lower half does. It’s easy to fake a smile with your mouth visible but not with it covered. With a mask on you have to really mean it for it to show in your eyes. For me to be able to see those beautiful crows feet that show the accumulation of smiles your face has been there for.
As innovative as humans can be I feel we have really been lazy with finding new ways of non verbal communication. We’ve
Just
Shut
Down
We can use the head nod, wink or even a wave of the hand (well sanitized of course).
I get it.. air hugs feel empty but what about a collective hand to the heart?
Can’t someone think up of a new sign that says I love you as a human even though you re a stranger in my world?
I just feel that I am way too happy when I have a conversation with a person at a store. Of course it’s only because I’m asking them where I can find something in the very rare instance that I am actually in a store.
But I miss the connection with complete strangers and I know I can’t be the only one.
So I will be the weird lady winking at you. Commenting on how I like the pattern on your mask.
Please join me in doing the same so we can spread the love and get us all connecting with each other again!