Have you ever seen a seal or more to the point, has a seal ever seen you? They’re playful, like puppies floating in the water, and they look at you and smile, but in my experience, they tend not to leave their water. They float, and they drift, and they are all very, very wet.
Traveling in the past, we used to float and drift and get very, very wet. Not literally, of course. But figuratively. We used to immerse ourselves in the byplay of humankind. We would enter a new town and speak to people on the street without hesitation or reservation. We would go into restaurants and cafes and chat with the people at the table next to us. We would make friends and sometimes explore the city together.
Now we are dry. We are traveling through a beautiful and wondrous landscape, and we know that not far away are kind and generous people, but they’re all at arm’s length—two meters to be precise.
The world has relaxed some, at least it has here, for better or worse. I can sit in a cafe now and sip my coffee, but there’s a wall between the other guests and me. Sometimes it’s a figurative wall; sometimes, it’s a literal plexiglass wall quickly and cheaply constructed to create distance and separation that we don’t want—even if we currently need it.
So we don’t meet the people next to us, we don’t make friends, we don’t explore the world, and no one tries to buy our children (good times; that was in Kashgar remind me to tell you story someday).
This will end eventually, maybe not quite as soon as we hope, but eventually. And I’ve heard some people suggest that we’ll never shake hands again—that we will change our behavior so much out of fear. But I won’t. I promise. I won’t be reckless, and I won’t be foolish. But I will shake hands again—I will shake hands more than I ever did before. And hug. I will hug more than I ever hugged before. I promise.
Questions
Please comment below
- What do you miss more, shaking hands or hugging?
- Do you think we will/should do away with shaking hands?
Oh my I will be awaiting you all with open arms!!! I miss hugs tremendously and the random stranger interaction that ends in a new friendship! I am happy to see in the photos that you have made some sweet new friends- keep them close and well hugged!
I definitely miss hugging more than I miss shaking hands. I’m a hugger. In fact, I think that I could do away with the handshake all together. I love the mysticism that surrounds the bow in Asian culture. I could do that as an informal greeting. But, if I get the right vibe from you or I know you; standby for a big bear hug after that bow.
I miss the hugs. It’s gotten so that it’s natural to stay away from people now, and that’s not the right direction to move, in my opinion. Once we can, I’ll shake hands and hug again. I just wonder when we’ll know we can…
i look forward to getting a hug from you. Two weeks after you get off the airplane…
You say that, but who do you think wrote the post? It might not be who you think!
Miss hugging, but don’t hug a seal!
Last pic could use a caption, otherwise folks might have concerns about your well-being!
I tried really hard to caption that photo and simply couldn’t come up with anything. Suggestions?
Hugs, handshakes, and kiss on each check will return but will be dependent on the individuals. I will chose to greet family & friends like I always have. Our immune systems are stronger than people understand.