P E A C E
Since March 15, when I began to quarantine, I have left my house only to shop for groceries and to run or walk in my neighborhood. Though I live in a small city, the streets and sidewalks of my neighborhood are rarely crowded. As I walk my dogs or run for exercise, I only occasionally run into others. It is easy for me to cross the street or walk in the road to maximize the distance between us.
Pre-Covid, I was a greeter. I always smiled and said hello to the people I passed. Some people responded, others went on their silent way, but I felt good every time I acknowledged those around me.
Everything has changed in our post-Coronavirus world. I run with a mask and sunglasses, so my face is an anonymous blank of pattern and reflection. No more can I acknowledge my neighbors or greet visiting strangers. And that makes my heart hurt a little.
Last week, I decided to resurrect a symbol of my hippie past and bring back the peace sign. In my college days this was preferred form of greeting on campuses around the country. Flash forward to the spring of 2020; when I’m walking or running, when I pass a fellow pedestrian, I’ve started raising my right hand, index and middle finger in the distinctive “V” and nod my head.
In my own way, with my archaic shorthand I am saying “I see you. I care about you. I wish you peace.”
I see you. I care about you. I wish you peace.