topic Re: MISSING SMILES AND HUGS in Among Friends

MISSING SMILES AND HUGS

Shanus — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 12:26:49 GMT

Yesterday was our 51st anniversary, but that's not the point of the thread. We both stayed home for dinner for our July birthdays. Last night we decided to be brave, cautious (went at 5:30) and eat pizza on the patio of our favorite Italian restaurant.

I realized as wait people, the woman who sat us at the table and we looked around at everyone seated at tables 6'-8' from us...I missed seeing their smiles and being able to smile back.

All the staff knows us and greeted us by name, usually we get a hug....especially since we ordered champagne w/ cannolis for our anniversary celebration dessert. Several wait people came over (masked, of course) to congratulate us, but no smiles and hugs.

Is anyone starting to find this lack of personal interaction in a grocery store, patio dining, drugstore, everywhere...lonely and a very sad part of wearing the necessary mask?

Re: MISSING SMILES AND HUGS

LindaSal — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 12:33:12 GMT

Happy Anniversary @Shanus .......My hubby and I just celebrated ours on July 27th.

I know what you mean as I am a hugger and a smiler for sure and I do miss the interaction with people, especially hugging my adult kids. They are both essential workers and have worked steadily during this whole ordeal. I am a bit compromised and hubby a bit more than I, so we've had to be very cautious like eveyone else in our boat.

We did go to a nice restaurant too for dinner, as we've ventured out a few times now.

We go to places that have been around for many years and that we trust to be following protocol. It's a place on the ocean in nearby Mass. Since we are not able to go to the beach this summer, it was nice to get that salt water fix!

Wishing you the best, though our lives have changed for good, much of what we are experiencing I believe is temporary.

Re: MISSING SMILES AND HUGS

alicedee — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 12:36:26 GMT

The only people who are working that I interact with are the Kroger workers who bring out and load my grocery orders in to my car.

Each one has been masked and very polite and friendly, "smiling eyes" above the masks. I stay by the driver door, and they are at the trunk....I have had a nice little chat with each one.

Maybe that was from me engaging them in a short conversation....I live alone, no pets.....it is a real treat for me to interact with a person face to face these days!

If I get a package delivered, the UPS driver always smiles and waves if we see each other.

That is the extent of my interactions these days....yikes!

Happy belated anniversary, @Shanus ! 🌷

Re: MISSING SMILES AND HUGS

Lisa Y — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 12:35:18 GMT

@Shanus I feel exactly the same way and I'm sure most people do, too. Part of human interaction is reading facial expressions and those visual cues help us "read" others.

I'm a teacher, going back into the school in Sept. I won't be able to see the smiles of my new 3rd graders. That makes me very sad. Let's hope for a vaccine soon.

Re: MISSING SMILES AND HUGS

catter70 — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 12:44:34 GMT

I can generally tell if someone smiles by their eyes.

Re: MISSING SMILES AND HUGS

Shanus — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 12:45:20 GMT

Happy Anniversary wishes to you and hubby, as well. Of course hugging my kids and grandchildren are at the top of our list, but they're as protective of us as we are of them.

We, too are hopeful that a vaccine or some other "cure" is found sooner or later. As the number of skyrocket, I'm puzzled why everyone (or most) cannot just go back on lockdown for a few weeks. I think there'd be a dramatic change in these numbers and deaths.

Until then, we're also riding it out as best as we can.

Re: MISSING SMILES AND HUGS

chiclets — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 12:45:23 GMT

Happy Anniversary.

People are cautious these days. Everyone looks around and wonders about the boundaries separating people. Everyone may also wonder if they are safe.

Smiles are definitely missed and for some hugs have been part of a greeting. It was very nice of the staff to walk over and give you good wishes.

It is so nice you and your husband went out to celebrate your anniversary.

It is an example of how people do need people, and even about missing strangers. People are an important part of our lives and I do think more and more individuals are realizing it more today due to the pandemic.

Next year you can celebrate your anniversary hugging everyone!

Re: MISSING SMILES AND HUGS

San Antonio Gal — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 12:46:08 GMT

Congrats to you and hubby @Shanus !

Re: MISSING SMILES AND HUGS

matty liz — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 12:46:29 GMT

Me too!

Re: MISSING SMILES AND HUGS

Shanus — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 12:51:40 GMT

@alicedee wrote:
The only people who are working that I interact with are the Kroger workers who bring out and load my grocery orders in to my car.

Each one has been masked and very polite and friendly, "smiling eyes" above the masks. I stay by the driver door, and they are at the trunk....I have had a nice little chat with each one.

Maybe that was from me engaging them in a short conversation....I live alone, no pets.....it is a real treat for me to interact with a person face to face these days!

If I get a package delivered, the UPS driver always smiles and waves if we see each other.

That is the extent of my interactions these days....yikes!

Happy belated anniversary, @Shanus ! 🌷

@alicedee I appreciate your good wishes and am happy you're experiencing some personal interaction. My neighbor lives alone and once a week, I call before I know I'm headed out for my walk with Molly. She always comes out and sits on her porch. We talk for awhile. I let Molly's leash out enough to come up on her porch for her to love on Molly. Once in awhile, I'll bring a basket of muffins or other goodies. That smile is definitely visible behind her mask.

Re: MISSING SMILES AND HUGS

Shanus — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 12:54:28 GMT

There's nothing more precious than a child's smile. My GDs are always masked when they come for "porch visits". I wait patiently for FaceTime to see smiles and lots of missing teeth from the 8 year old.

Re: MISSING SMILES AND HUGS

Shanus — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 12:58:51 GMT

@San Antonio Gal wrote:
Congrats to you and hubby @Shanus !

@San Antonio Gal Thank you so much. I can't believe 51 years w/ the same guy!!! I had just turned 21 a few weeks before the wedding and on our honeymoon, it was the first time I could go into a bar (DH is 4 yrs. older). My feet hung off the stool & couldn't reach the rung on the stool. Many at the bar had a good chuckle. I think I'm an inch shorter since then.

Re: MISSING SMILES AND HUGS

alicedee — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 12:59:24 GMT

@Shanus Aw, what a sweet thing to do for your neighbor! That really touched my heart.

You are a lovely person. 🌷

Re: MISSING SMILES AND HUGS

Shanus — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 13:01:43 GMT

@alicedee I can't imagine going through this alone, but even before this, I did check in on her and stopped by occasionally for a visit. It's just more important now.

Re: MISSING SMILES AND HUGS

happycat — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 13:04:46 GMT

Happy Anniverary to you and your hubby.

I miss the smiles and hugs also. And I miss hugging my elderly parents and my children most of all.

Re: MISSING SMILES AND HUGS

Shanus — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 13:17:55 GMT

I can imagine the long term affects this distancing may have on the mental health of us and our children, grandchildren....especially health care workers. I sure hope the therapists, psychologists and psychiatrists have open appointments.

I'm not ashamed to say I may be first in line. Although my work kept me isolated at home (by choice), forced isolation is an entirely different feeling.

Re: MISSING SMILES AND HUGS

Lali1 — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 13:27:19 GMT

Congratulations on your anniversary!
Yes I miss that human interaction as well. My husband and I only went out to eat on special occasions before all this. Now we just order in. We're both very much homebodies but also are very outgoing when out around people. The only other people I see and talk to now other than my husband are the people who put my grocery pickup orders in my Jeep. I always bring my 2 dogs along in a pet seat so they can get some socializing. They're only a year old and need that.

Re: MISSING SMILES AND HUGS

alicedee — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 13:26:23 GMT

My sisters and brother-in-law are really good about calling to make sure I am ok and see if I need anything. My kids live and work several hours away, but we stay in touch online/phone.

I realize how blessed I am!

Re: MISSING SMILES AND HUGS

Shanus — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 13:27:06 GMT

@Lali1 wrote:
Congratulations on your anniversary!
Yes I miss that human interaction as well. My husband and I only went out to eat on special occasions before all this. Now we just order in. We're both very much homebodies but also are very ougoing when out around poeple. The only other people I see and talk to now other than my husband are the people who put my grocery pickup orders in my Jeep. I always bring my 2 dogs along in a pet seat so they can get some socializing. They're only a year old and need that.

@Lali1 Thanks for acknowledging my anniversary. Yes, Molly goes with me to all dog friendly places since our dog parks closed. She's a regular at PetSmart, rides in the cart at Lowe's and Home Depot.

Re: MISSING SMILES AND HUGS

Anonymous032819 — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 13:31:06 GMT

@Shanus

Congratulations on your anniversary!

I have a friend and we are both huggers, and we have hugged each other several times, and neither of us have gotten sick.