So, we no longer shake hands or hug friends at a gathering. This week I was taught we can only touch feet with shoes on, touch elbows, or just make a kind of queenly wave at each other as we come in the door.

I’m okay with that, I guess, as long as we can brandish a great smile at each other upon meeting.

But where’s the smile behind all those masks?

Don’t misunderstand.

We need to protect one another from spreadable diseases (even though I’m not sure the mask does all that….)

I liked this article today from a major news outlets (“Coronavirus: Does worrying increase your risk of getting sick?”} that asks: what exactly are we spreading?

“We’re in this fear state, but the fear state turns down the immune system. When you spread fear to your friends, it’s almost like spreading germs to them. You wouldn’t want people to do that to you. We shouldn’t do that to other people,” said David Ropeik.

So, just like a smile or a yawn, fear can also be contagious, he says.

Maybe we do need masks every once in a while, but you can always smile with your eyes.

SKATE ON!

Darla