Loving your loved ones from afar
With the coronavirus spreading like a wildfire, many of us have been told to stay in our homes. Social distancing is critical right now to slow down the spread. While this is hard to accept, it is what we must do if we ever want to get back to our normal lives. Still, we may wonder, how do we interact with our family and friends? How do we show them we care? Especially, the ones who live alone.
Visit them at a distance
While we should not have get-togethers at the moment, that doesn’t mean we still can’t show up.
One great idea is to make a trip to their house and chalk their walk. You could easily and safely write them sweet and/or inspirational messages to help brighten their day.
One of my friends had a creative idea as well. She took her children to her parent’s house to play tic tac toe. This game can easily be played on a glass door with washable markers. This way no one is actually in physical contact, as the grandparents and grandchildren are on separate sides of the door.
Video chatting could be a nice way to “visit” your family and friends. Most phones have video chat capabilities and are simple enough for anyone to use. This allows all parties to see one another.
Show you care with a simple gesture
Over the years, people have forgotten how great it is to receive a letter in the mail. Remember being young and rushing out to the mailbox to see if you received anything special? It’s an awesome feeling. So why not take the time to handwrite a letter, draw a picture, make a card, or even send a photograph to someone you love, via snail mail.
Making a phone call seems to be a lost art these days as well. Rather than shooting out a text or using messenger, take the time to let those you care about hear your voice. Without being able to visit them they miss your voice, I promise. Just a small act, but it’s guaranteed to put a smile on their face.
Birthdays
You don’t need to plan a huge party to show your loved ones you care about them. There are quite a few things that can be done to celebrate their special day.
Something my family did for my grandmother was to plan a surprise visit. We decided to make birthday signs to hold up when she walked outside while singing happy birthday. During this visit, each of our little families stayed at least 6 feet apart. We were able to keep our distance and show our love at the same time.
Another option if you are unable to plan a visit is to send flowers. Due to the virus, flowers will be left on their porch, so you will not be putting them in any danger. If you are concerned, just remind them to wash their hands upon receiving the flowers.
A kid-friendly idea would be to put on a parade. Each family member and friend could drive by and wave at the birthday child (or adult). If you want to get more creative, you could even decorate your car.
This too shall pass
While being isolated from loved ones is difficult, this lockdown will not last forever. We will be reunited and hopefully never again take the little things for granted. A hug, a handshake, or a nice pat on the back. When this blows over, make sure you hug each person you love just a little bit tighter and a little bit longer.
Photo by cottonbro
