Bringing Back the WAVE During COVID-19

My road- Beth Sanders 2020

I live about seven minutes outside of Marysville, Ohio, a picture-perfect little town about 30 miles northwest of Columbus, Ohio, a dynamic and growing tech city.

Out here in Marysville, I actually live on the road less traveled. During these COVID-19 days, it seems to be even more quiet. When people are on my road, most likely they are my distant neighbors or close neighbors. I can hear the whistles of a freight train going by as I write this; maybe traveling from Chicago to Columbus.

Down Raymond Road a little ways towards town, there is a farmer that has waved at me every time I have ever passed him driving his car or a tractor on the road.

He waves so I can see it---he is always smiling too. I really don't know him, but I recognize that wave. He reminds me of my now deceased father---who always waved to me from the tractor. For the farmer on Raymond Road, I know that waving is important to him and it's part of country life. I am sure there was a time when he would have known every person that he was waving at. But nowadays, the "city slickers" from Columbus have moved into his territory; so he may or may not know each one. Still, that doesn't stop him from enthusiastically waving.

I met the farmer's daughter one time; she told me how much her dad loves when people smile and wave back. I waved before she told me this, but now I am really watching for him. I really wave! I really smile! I make sure he can see that I can see him. I want him to keep waving.

And that brings me to this thought. In the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, I feel compelled to wave to people I pass on the street, on the trail, with my bandana on at the post office, from a distance at the store. How weird that we can't touch each other. No handshakes. No hugs. No conversations. Maybe waving can make a comeback. It could work in big cities or small towns alike.

We can make eye contact, and we can acknowledge we see someone when we wave. I am here and you are here! You are an amazing person full of worth and an incredible life story. We are here together---hello my friend! That's what a wave can say. We can do it long distance or close up. We can do it with almost a simple salute or move our entire arms to say HELLO! I'm so glad to see you!

Prior to COVID-19, I really didn't think about waving to passing cars on my country road, but I am now really looking and waving when cars occasionally pass me as I am running or walking. We are so, so isolated. That wave to a passing car is more significant now. It may be one of that driver's only forms of human contact today. Mine too! I am not going to look down or ignore them as I did in the past. I am going to wave, like that farmer I know, and really mean it.

Hello! I am here and you are here. We are both alive and well today. Right now, that's something worth waving about.
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Beth Sanders is the founder and CEO of LifeBio, a social engagement company, and MyHelloServices. Learn more at www.lifebio.org.