Craving Connections in a COVID World

 A friend of mine recently posted this photo of cuddling carrots grown from her garden:

A few thoughts:

I want to join you, little carrots!! 😂

These carrots long to be together; they are embracing one another in a hug. I SO love to hug my friends and family. It turns out, after 32 years, I am learning that hugging is my love language. I praise God that I have my four darlings within my home these days so that I can sneak in cuddles whenever I want. It is HARD, though, this life without hugs, high fives, and hand shakes. 

As human beings, we want and we need community and companionship. One of my loved ones states frequently that, years from now, there will be articles written on the devastating social and psychological effects of the isolation caused by COVID. Of course there will be. We are meant to be in community; we are meant to live in companionship with others. 

Still, I will not forego my responsibility to my brothers and sisters. Like you, I will socially distance and skip out on hugs. I will smile with my eyes over my mask. I will shout hello to a stranger across the street.  I will say a prayer for the driver in front of me at the stop light.  I will send my neighbors cards through their mailboxes and send videos of my daughters to their cousins and school friends. I will showcase signs of love and support from my front yard. I will graciously accept the dropped-off donuts from a dear friend, and I will run outside to say hello to a sister visiting from a nearby suburb. 

Yes, I am feeling all the feels today, as COVID has ruined yet another set of plans. COVID, how dare you. Seriously.  I had this delicious weekend in the works, and you stripped away another chance at a modified reunion with my community. In the grand scheme of things, this botched weekend is so tiny. But it is just one more thing. One more loss caused by this pandemic. I am sad, and I am missing my hugs-- and I am hopeful. 

I look to the future with hope and with optimism. With the easy parts of communing torn from us, we are creative in our ways to show our love and support.  While I am saddened by the reaction of the few, I am comforted and emboldened by the reaction of the many. We can do this together. We can do it for one another. Here's to thinking, speaking, and acting in a way that changes our world for the better.

Signing off for now. If you need me, I'll be at home, cuddling with my carrots.