Never surrender to despair. Don’t isolate, reach out and relate.

Let the drumming of our heartbeats lead us to communicate with those whom we love and with whom we share social spaces, times and circumstances.

We in the USA have been advised to socially separate. Maintain physical distance. Don’t touch. Stay apart six or more feet; back, or behind, or on the side. Have a lot of daylight between you and the other when you have to go out somewhere.

It’s hard, especially in New Orleans where we are so used to not just fist-bumping and hand-shaking; we used to be all the time embracing and kissing each other, not to mention, mob-deep dancing in the street. Or, yeah, you right, collectively celebrating damn near weekly with home-cooked food and a favorite brew.

Yes, these are different, difficult and dangerous times, nevertheless, all the trials and tribulations not withstanding, we remain social animals. No matter how much we isolate as a means of fighting the highly contagious corona-virus, we do better living in concert rather than struggling alone. Connecting with one another is the healthy choice.

On my recent birthday (24 March 2020, when I made 73 years old), I spoke with folk I had not conversed with in years. And that’s when it hit me. Don’t mourn. Organize!

Let’s not get down emotionally when faced with the current anti-social conditions. Let’s creatively respond. Make a commitment: EVERY DAY I WILL CALL AND TALK WITH SOMEONE I HAVE NOT SPOKEN TO OR SEEN IN OVER A MONTH.

Thanks to the near universality of mobil devices and wi-fi, we live in a world when the vast majority of us are just a phone call away from each other. So everyday, we ought to reach out and have a little talk with friends, family and associates. Not the same people every day but rather a different person each day. Even if no more than to say: hi, hello, how you doing? Been thinking about you.

Creating an active and extensive social circle is a responsibility of maintaining our humanity. Consistently touch at least a month’s worth of contacts. That’s an average of 30 different people we talk with on the regular.

Imagine how closer we would all feel if we maintained contact day after day, frequently, and without fail. Don’t even have to be anything deep. Just a quick check in. A swift “hello”.

Let someone you know, know that you know them.

Try it for a few days. I guarantee it will improve your mental health. Will bring social sunshine to light up what would otherwise be lonely hours spent self-isolating in dank and rank social darkness. As the song says, reach out and touch. Make this world a better world. I know you can.

Yes, we can, can. Great gosh almighty, I know we can do it.