Undercover Smiles

This week I decided to get back to nature with a quick trip to the mountains and forests in NY. I was craving a change of scenery and needed a mental break from the constant to do lists that swirl in my head. I wanted the chance to appreciate G-d’s natural decor in an unobstructed way without venturing too far from home. It’s truly amazing how a short drive, some good weather and a beautiful landscape can awaken and re-energize your senses, allowing you the chance to clearly move forward as you revel in the present and contemplate the past. Instead of thinking, I tried to just be, appreciating the beauty in front of me. And while I was soaking in those moments of nature and the animals that inhabit it, I learned something amazing about human connection too.

Some of the paths we chose to hike were pretty empty, allowing us to explore our surroundings without any distractions. Other times we walked along shared paths meeting and greeting people who set out to explore our shared gifts of majestic views and landscapes. And while we marveled at the beauty that lay before us, we also noted an amazing similarity between each stranger we passed along the way- a desire to connect and say we are all in this together. As a rule of the park we were exploring, we were required to wear a face mask while along the hiking trails whenever we could not social distance. People either held their masks or wore them close to their faces, and each time we saw that we would cross paths, we covered our mouths and our noses to protect ourselves and each other. But rather than simply pass one another by without a smile that would not be seen, we greeted each other with words. Each and every time we passed a stranger, there were quick exchanges of pleasantries such as, “hi!” or “how’s it going?” Or even, “hey, how are you?” I was simply amazed at first but quickly realized that it’s not that weird to want to connect with one another. Our smiles may now need to hide behind our covered faces but we can still find ways to show each other that we care.

At the beginning of this pandemic, we were required to isolate ourselves from everyone, retreating into our homes and into our fears of the scary unknown. Thankfully, we are now able to get back into society once again, albeit with many modifications and different behaviors than we are accustomed to. There are many opinions floating around the world in terms of how to live amongst this virus, and different levels of comfort with regard to how to function without risking our health. But one thing can and should remain of universal importance to everyone, despite our varying differences in both beliefs and behaviors, and that is respect for one another and an appreciation that we coexist. Human connection is a lifeline we all crave and need in order to survive. It is our job to continue to find ways to nurture that connection, especially when some of our physical markers of connection such as smiling are unable to be seen. Instead of viewing people as a threat when they pass us by, let’s embrace them with warm eyes and kind words. Our physical body language may now require us to appear as though we want to be distant, but we have the ability to use our speech as a way to remain close.

With the month of Elul now upon us, a time for reflection and introspection for ourselves and our society as a whole, let us use this opportunity to form unity with each other in any way we can. Let’s find ways to strengthen our bonds between each other, remember to be kind, and allow our undercover smiles to shine through straight to our souls.