Distance doesn't mean distant
Back in the old days (three weeks ago), we were stuck in a cultural conundrum:
We worked on the same floor and never asked each other where we grew up
We waited in the grocery line and stared straight ahead instead of making eye contact
We lived in the same house and didn’t know why we were hurting
We knew about each other without knowing each other.
The challenge we are facing now is exposing the problem we’ve always had.
Emotional distancing started long before social distancing.
The sad thing is, it was never mandatory, we opted in voluntarily.
We have a precious opportunity to reconcile the disconnect.
To savor what we’ve deprived ourselves of for so long:
Share a smile with a stranger
Call that person who’s been on your mind for weeks
Remember that your mailbox isn’t just for bills…write an old-fashioned letter
Use your email for giving encouragement instead of making requests
Ask the question you’ve been too busy or too scared to ask
Get over the awkwardness of seeing your own face on a video call and call anyway
Choose a stroll down memory lane over a scroll on your phone
Distance doesn’t mean distant.
Let’s use this separation as our inspiration.
Now is the time to get close.