As the Covid-19 pandemic shows no signs of abating (unfortunately,) I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the words to this song:
When will I see you again?
When will we share precious moments?
Will I have to wait forever?
Will I have to suffer and cry the whole night through?
The song, written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, was released in 1974 by the group The Three Degrees. While it describes the longing of a woman for a man, with her asking “are we in love or just friends?”, the first verse especially speaks to life in America today.
For those of us who have been scrupulous in following the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control, wearing masks, socially distancing ourselves, frequently washing our hands, we are faced each and every day with that question: “When will I see you again?”
Yes, we have FaceTime, yes, we have Zoom, yes, we have the other virtual platforms by which we can see and interact with other people, but no, it is not the same as being face-to-face with friends and family. And no, it does not take the place of a hug, a kiss, or even just a reassuring touch.
This lack of physical interaction brings with it a host of implications, summed up by Gregg Lavoy, writing in “Psychology Today:” “Touch is social glue, and without it, we're in danger of becoming un-glued.” Underscoring its primacy in our lives, he continues: “Touch is the first of the five senses to develop in utero and the last to go.”
So how do we cope with this loss of tactile connection? There are lots of suggestions in a myriad of articles which can be accessed online, too many to outline here. Here are but a few of them:
For those of you living in a household with other family members, make a concerted effort to connect physically with each other.
For anyone, talking through a video chat format at least gives you the ability to see the other person. If speaking by phone, look at a photo of that person during your conversation.
When you’re out, taking a walk or whatever, make it a point to wave at your neighbors, to greet each other, even to have a socially distanced conversation. (Personally, I’ve gotten to meet a number of neighbors I never knew before over these past months.)
Try to busy yourself with stimulating activities, such as learning a new skill, reading favorite books, trying out new recipes, etc.
Exercise! It will improve your mood.
Most importantly - and this can be tough - try to remain positive and optimistic. Many great minds are working feverishly to develop a vaccine which will protect us from the coronavirus. Their efforts are already showing great promise, and we should remain hopeful that soon we will have access to that protection.
In the meantime, try not to get hung up on what is at this time an unanswerable question: “When will I see you again?”
It will happen!