Hi. It’s us...the downtrodden yet still standing masses who just experienced your predecessor. (No need to mention names here. Like a bad boyfriend who we are much better off without, you know precisely who we’re talking about.) Anyway, just writing to get on the same page.
So, real talk? We need you. No pressure. But man, like the only single guy at a wedding, we are all looking at you with a quiet longing that you will ask us to dance and then lovingly glide us across the floor after a really tough string of bad dates. We are really hoping for the best out of you. And how do you get the best out of something? You love it. You love it and support it.
So even though we've just met today, well, surprise! We love you! And since it's only natural to have certain expectations in a new relationship, a few simple requests as we get to know one another.
Everyone lost something in 2020. Some lost their loved ones very unexpectedly. Some lost their jobs. Some lost where they called home. And some lost a combination of all of that and more. Other things that were lost were intangible but still deeply felt--the ability to wander a crowd without worry, hug a loved one without pause, or simply go food shopping without wearing a mask. The little things turned into huge things. We know that now. While FaceTime and Zooms and "airhugs" are what we've gotten used to, we are ready to trade in this weird virtual reality for the messy reality that we never knew how much we previously adored. So, first request, can you please make it safe to be together again? Because if we can't be together, how will we ever possibly make out with you?
Everyone is dealing with a lot all at once. Sometimes the weight of it is almost palpable while passing someone on the street during one of the many walks everyone seems to take in their neighborhood each day. We've had to grow in ways we never predicted--navigating kids in school at home while working from home, caring for loved ones who are immune compromised, making ends meet with no idea of when we will work again, or, on the other end of the spectrum, bearing the unique responsibility of being essential personnel. We are stretched. We are tired. We are lonely. We are feeling collectively down. We know there will be better days ahead but the sheer number of bad days in recent memory has made us weary. Can you please give us some real hope in the meantime? Because like any new relationship, we want to be super pumped about you. And without hope that this is going somewhere, this relationship won't go much of anywhere.
We used to bang our pots and pans out of the window each night to show support for the medical personnel on the front lines. We used to go out of our way to check on our neighbors who we know needed extra support. We used to make sure our food banks were stocked to the gills and that our masks were always on. In short, we used to have a lot more patience and think of each other more often than we currently do. As we all continue to somehow navigate this life as we know it, can you please remind us to be kind to one another, even now? Especially now? If this is all a collective first date of sorts, we will remember to be our very best selves with your help.
We know. It is a lot to ask. But please don't misunderstand us. We may mention you-know-who a lot but we are not trying to go back to life before them. Because we are different now and we realize there is no going back. But here is the good news: we've circled you big and bold on our speed dating card and we really want to get to know you better.
So how about this? Love is all about compromise. If you promise to help us, we promise to keep showing up for you everyday, one foot in front of the other, even when it feels like it's impossible. We will be faithful and true and dreamily doodle your name in our notebooks as if the one who came before you was never even here.
We know we can't move forward if we keep looking back. So from here on out, we only have eyes for you.
With love and fingers crossed,
Us
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