Finding a H.U.G. behind a Mask (217)

I know we can't hug. We are sending virtual hugs. We are smiling behind masks. We 'air' fist bump. The connection we have with one another is dwindling. I am a personal space person- I protect my personal space. But, not having the chance to hug students that want a hug. Not really being able to understand the muffled dialogue behind a mask. The visual sensation of a dimple or beautiful smile. Something is missing.

The world seems now like some kind of dystopia movie. The ones where everyone is dressed in gray. Children play ball in the driveway without emotion, or sound (except the bouncing of the ball). It feels like an angry place, where those who choose not to follow the social norms have to be loud and destructive to be heard. That Big Brother, is struggling to keep the joy suppressed. We all feel a bit under the foot of constraints.

Try finding a hug. Try finding a white-teethed smile. Try finding a handshake or fist bump for that matter. Generally, non-professionally its been the hug. Except in school where hugs are commonplace. Now there is 6 foot distance, masked emotions that need to create a sense of community. No lockers to gather around. Only two in the bathroom at the same time. Staggered class changes. The community is being replaced with the gray dystopian feel of suppression.

Now there is good reason for this. I understand the why, the how, the when. It just feels sad to me. We need to make sure in schools that community building is still at the forefront of our minds. We will be looking at them through computer screens, some of us meeting our students for the first time on computer screens. So lets make that first impression count. Colorful backgrounds, animated personalities.

The hugs may never come. The smiles may be hidden, so we need to over-exaggerate our emotions a bit. It's going to feel weird but we need to find the H.U.G. The Human Universal Gestures. The new facial expressions that can show through from behind the mask. We will need to use our loud, clear voices to overcome the muffle. We will need to use our eyes more now. Grins are only loud when we use our eyes. 

So find your H.U.G and perfect it. Look in the mirror and practice. Animate on Zoom, let them see your smile a lot. Let them hear your voice, loud and clear. Remember when we meet them face to face those same expressions will need to come through. It is going to be a challenge- merging the virtual facial cues and the in person masked facial clues. That l is going to make all the difference. Cue to clues and we will do this with love, listening and language.