This is the new normal.
A mask, and an unrecognised smile.
I pull it down to smile at my baby because he can’t tell when my eyes smile. I put it back on and continue walking, stopping often for air.
For me, the new normal isn’t yet normalised, even if it’s been this way for months. It still feels like we are moving towards a dystopian future.Yet, our four and a half-year-old isn’t fazed by this.
Instead of a bisous, she blows kisses in the air. Instead of a hug, she greets us with animal sounds. She is not stuck thinking about how things once were or how long this will be. Instead, She just rolls with it. Embraces what is.
I want to be a child again. I want to think this way. I want to be more like her.