Zoom Hugs

Day 25 in our self imposed quarantine during the worldwide coronavirus. I must admit that my husband and I are in an idyllic location. We have an ocean view from our condo balcony in a beach town in Thailand. Our days have a slow, but predictable rhythm. They revolve around exercise, food, the Internet, Netflix, and more food. We talk to family members daily around the world and compare routines. We are all adjusting to a new normal with an unknown future. 

We are doing the best we can under the circumstances to stay healthy and connected. My family is full of educators worldwide. I work at an international school in Laos is closed until further notice. My grandchildren are using the Zoom online platform as students in California and Germany. My sister is a first-time Zoom teacher in Texas. My son is using Zoom to teach his classes at home in Germany while his son attends Zoom Kindergarten from his bedroom. My oldest son set up an online educational program for his staff and students in China. 

Since we are on the subject of Zoom, what does a virtual hug really feel like? I have sent virtual hugs around to the world to my family and friends. As humans, we need physical contact. It is difficult for many people now stuck in their homes alone. Recent findings suggest that virtual hugs are retraining our brains emotionally. Scientists have shown that our brains can adapt to the positive energy from virtual hugs. However, our brains can’t adapt to virtual meals. Seeing food on the Internet does not really satisfy our appetites. I find myself scrolling through online cooking shows, food photos, and recipes more than ever. Everyone on the Internet seems to be cooking and eating 24 hours a day. I have the impulse to eat every other minute or two. It must be from too much downtime that my brain jumps to what I could eat next for excitement. Then I scroll again looking for online exercise videos with the '70s and '80's songs. Did we really wear those exercise outfits in weird colors to the gym? Yes, we did!

What does our future hold? That is the common question on all of our minds. We can’t make firm plans now and that is stressful. My mind jumps ahead to my job, my family, my plane flight home, and then my next snack. We are social beings who are programmed to move, act and look forward. We are now in isolation with limited social contact and an unknown future. Our daily routine has been limited to very small spaces. We get a thrill out of roaming the grocery store aisles looking for new food. We are scared, happy, and tired all within five minutes. So the best we can do is to stay home, stay healthy, and give virtual hugs to those we care about from the safety of our own homes.