Maintain physical distance, not social distance!

The Kid Next Door

Being at home, working, binging shows, reading, and other self-centered tasks allow for little time to socialize.

Maintain physical distance, not social distance!

That hit me hard the other day, as I was standing alone in my balcony wondering how birds chirped, children screamed, plants grew, sunlight spread and I smiled looking at them, even in such desparate times.

That’s when I heard a call from another balcony straight ahead of us. A kid was holding a long stick in his hand. Our balconies were closer, a stick apart. The kid wanted me to hold one end of the stick as he held the other end.

I didn’t see any utilitarian function in doing it but the kid had a great smile and enthusiasm for this game of what I call hold-my-stick!

I stretched my hand out to hold one end of the stick and that’s it! He started laughing out loud. I had no idea why he was happy but looking at him made me happy too, I guess!

They say a smile is contagious, it’s true! I started laughing too. It was fun. We were holding the stick in mid-air and if it fell, it would have hurt somebody. I believe this made the game funny!

We did this for some few more minutes. Then, I went back and so did he!

The next day, he surprisingly came to my house with a chocolate. He wanted me to have it. I was full of mixed emotions.

This kid got me a chocolate whom I played with yesterday. I didn’t get him anything, only that I had played with this kid. The experience was so enriching for this kid amidst this lockdown that he felt a sudden connection to me.

A small act of kindness. He gave me the chocolate and ran away. At an age, where chocolates are life, he thought of giving me something he considered precious.

Kindness. No Expectation. A Smile…. is all it takes.