In the U.S., we approach a year of handling a global pandemic that has disrupted how we’ve done life. In other parts of the world, the impact of the crisis has been felt for over a year.

The winter months are those that usually call for coziness, proximity with loved ones, and warmth of affection and atmosphere. Many holidays come on the front end; a new year begins; then February comes. February, of course, brings with it the expectations, whether heightened or lowered, for Valentine’s Day.

Valentine’s Day has served as a reminder of love and affection for centuries, and it certainly brightens our stores with its pink and red regalia as soon as the new year strikes.

In this time when we can’t be as close as we’d like, what does it mean to give and receive love? How can we do that when life and opportunity feel constricted?

Over the next few weeks I’ll share how we might offer love in these times. Three leading paths come to mind, though these aren’t the only ways! Feel free to elaborate on or divert from these as your taste and relationships see fit.

The first way we can show love comes through our hands.

We have probably felt this loss the most keenly in the pandemic. Physical touch plays a huge role in giving and receiving affection and building attachment, from little ones all the way up to the elderly.

While touch is an obvious comfort, there are other ways our hands can love people. Use of our hands can indicate help, offer support to carry, pull, or push, and even relay confidence. You don’t have to directly touch someone to run errands or do chores, take care of their family, or offer a thumbs-up or wave to say hello and acknowledge them. These are all ways our hands help us love people.

Most of all, our physical hands point to something that means more to humanity: physical presence. In a time when separation may be safer and less fearful, we relish the presence of other people, no matter how close they are. Sight of a loved one across a room or parking lot makes hearts leap; volunteers or contractors who help us move furniture or repair appliances give us sighs of relief. For all the achievement we’ve seen in setting up life to run virtually during quarantine, most of us have realized that we miss face-to-face conversation more than we miss anything online.

As you consider your relationships in this difficult time, remember that your hands, while welcome in the form of a hug or handshake, are capable of far more than that to love and cherish your people. Your help, your encouragement, and your presence might take different form in this season, but they mean more than you might think.

For a quick brainstorming session, here are some ways we can love others through our hands without directly touching them:

• Wave to neighbors and people you recognize. This might not seem like much, but when we’re out, our faces are often covered, so we can’t see facial expressions. Using other body language can share acknowledgement and love.
• Pick up groceries or do other errands for a friend at higher risk of illness.
• Write a note – yes, a snail mail note! A card or letter displays your handwriting and takes time and effort to compose your thoughts and fold them into an envelope. There’s something special about receiving physical mail in our hands instead of an email or text, don’t you think? (Of course, a text or message to say that you’re thinking of them relays thought, too. Don’t limit yourself!)
• Volunteer at a food pantry or donation center. Many older people who volunteer have had to stop or wait due to higher risk to themselves. Many nonprofits need more help!
• Make something. Color or paint a picture, work wood or other materials, bake or cook (more on this in a later post), or record a video or song to brighten someone’s day.

Take some time this week to think through how you can love and serve others. I’d love to hear your thoughts and your stories about how you’re loving your neighbor in these strange times! Our world will thank you.

Another way to love those around us is through our use of time. Stop by next week to hear some ideas on how to use it well for others!