The Cloud is Lifting

I went out Saturday night. I mean I really went out. Dressed up in a suit and tie and went to an event. I don’t think I have done that since the pandemic started.

I kind of forgot how to act in a social situation. Seeing people I haven’t seen in a year and a half. Hug?Handshake? Fist bump? Namaste?

I wasn’t the only one who felt this way either. How are we supposed to act now? I suppose we figured it out quickly. People were just so grateful to be out and about.

The cloud does seem to be lifting.

It got me thinking, though, after months of Zoom meetings and remote working, what has happened to our social skills?

NPR has an interesting story about this very topic. They talked to Celeste Headlee. She’s the author of “We need to talk: How to have conversations that matter.”

She says, “Social skills are, after all, skills.” Turns out, a lot of us got rusty during the pandemic.

Headlee offers some guidance to get back into the groove of things. Acknowledge the awkwardness. More than likely, the person you are trying to interact with feels the same way. That takes the pressure off the situation.

Respect the other person’s boundaries. I find myself touching and hugging a lot less than I used to. When I see someone coming in a bit too close, my guard goes up.

Celeste Headlee says something interesting about boundaries. Not everyone is ready to take off their masks. Not everyone is vaccinated. Tread lightly with the hug or handshake.

It is getting better. At least in Florida. For the first time since early July, the state is reporting a decline in new Covid cases and deaths.

The CDC says it’s okay to go trick-or-treating this year. That’s because most Halloween festivities are outside.

The cloud is finally lifting. Now, I just need to figure out my Halloween costume.