Love Afar

We are learning a lot about each other during this pandemic social distancing effort. Love at a distance is taking a beating but perhaps not as much as we think. One of the most important parts of love is communication and communicate we must with those we love. No longer can we gaze at our phones texting and its silly so-called "convenient" condensations and call it love notes. LOL is one of most idiotic codes of the lazy language that has fadded us on the cyber goofy junk that we can't live without. Naturally we are going to be brief in texting, there just isn't the space for correct language, but "I heart" is not "I love you". Wording or texting those words isn't quite the same as hearing them spoken. There is a great fear amongst some that if those three words are spoken an obligation is expected. No. Love is not an obligation; it's only a gift of feeling a personal emotion. There are no strings attached or shouldn't be. You give love. A fear of saying it, is merely an excuse. I remember not being able to say it to my father who was dying because while we, in the family felt it, we didn't use the words. When he died it was one of the most trying regrets until his wife said, he knew how you felt and it's okay. Some families are like that but you can cut that ribbon and just do it. Take courage and say the words. You can't tell someone that you love them if you don't.  If I had a lover, I wouldn't regard anything but the actual words and not little phrases such as  "I do in my way" or "Do I need to say it?" or "Why do you have to ask?" or "You know I do". Lovers have their own kinds of language but the words matter. The word "love" aside, there are lots of other ways of loving people at a distance. Calling up old friends and talking to them about memories you shared, phoning people you thought you had forgotten and chatting for bit, speaking to those relatives across town, the country or world whom you have been meaning to call but somehow haven't. Call them. This is a form of love, a gift to those who find that kind of surprise makes their day. Wouldn't you be wonderfully surprised if you received a call from such a someone? We all have something in common now, even though it's not a nice issue. You may add some delight to your solitary living these days if you make a call like that.  It takes courage but hey, why not?  If the reception is negative, at least you gave it a try. A couple of women I know, called up their former teen boy and girl friends that during their isolation days, rattled around in their recollections of long ago. They made the calls and ended up having a review of old times that was hilarious and found refreshing realizations that none of our old buddies change all that much. You can zoom or Skype or whatever kind of reality electronic keeping in touch routines you are best with, but get some love out there and spread it around. You never know where it might end up when all this is over.