Weaving the Web

I went for a long walk around the river that runs through town yesterday.  There aren't many things a person can do outside of the home these days except go for a walk in open spaces, where it's easy to avoid crowds.  I prefer to walk alone anyway.
During my happy walk around the river, I made a number of connections, despite keeping my physical distance from fellow walkers and runners.  I felt strangely free and light-hearted, despite all the restrictions on human interaction that would normally make me feel anything but carefree.  During my walk, which lasted just under two hours, I greeted numerous passers-by with a huge air hug.

"A big air hug to you!" I exclaimed as I spread my arms wide, matched by a wide grin from ear to ear.  "I'm engaging in some friendly social distancing!" 
The reaction was always the same.  People smiled and laughed with me.  There was an unspoken understanding that we're all going through this together.  Some returned my air hug, others said a heartfelt thank you and wished me a great day.  Everyone was glad to be greeted with joy and humour in these challenging times.
Social distancing separates us physically, but it doesn't mean we have to detach ourselves emotionally.  In fact, my walk yesterday proved that compassion and understanding are being openly expressed more than ever.  I didn't offer air hugs to perfect strangers as a way of attracting attention to myself, although it certainly did do that.  I wanted to weave a web of connection that active social distancing would seem to belie.

By the time I got home I was filled with hope and optimism.  Despite the underlying gloom of forced separation, I had hopes that maybe, just maybe, we might emerge from all this into a better, kinder world.  Covid-19 is slowly dissolving my usual inclination towards misanthropy, toilet paper hoarders notwithstanding.  People aren't as bad as I used to think they were. 
I'm taking another walk today, and sharing some air hugs as I go.  I want to help weave a web of healthy solidarity.  Feeling kindly towards my fellow human beings gratifies me.  It makes me feel good to make someone else feel good. 
Although I'm not going to say I'm grateful for the coronavirus, I've certainly learned a lot about myself lately.  And that's saying a lot for someone given to self-reflection as much as I am.  The number of blurbs I've posted in the last week is testament to that.

It would be preferable, of course, if we didn't need adversity to reveal the best of our selves; but it's only the best and strongest part of human nature that overcomes adversity.  Amid all the worry and fear, I see sacrifice and altruism from ordinary, every day heroes.  And that leaves me wondering - what's my better self going to do if I run out of toilet paper?
  g.p.