Everyone stands a few feet apart from one another. Just to be safe. Safe enough as not to invade anyones bubbles. Safe enough not to make contact or connection. Peoples eyes look all about, careful never to come into the sight line of another human being. Stomp on your curiosity. Crush your hopes of ever seeing anyone.
But there’s always that one person. Those few people whose gaze lingers a little longer than what is socially acceptable. They are longing - yearning, just as you are. For that connection. For that reminder that we are all apart of this vast planet. Just another number but another number together. Together in our struggle. In our hope. In our dreams of something more.
And suddenly for that split second, that shared moment where your eyes lock onto someone elses for just one brief flash - you get it. You feel it. And it’s the most beautiful thing you’ve ever felt. And you want to keep looking. Keep being with them. Keep existing within each others eyes. But it’s “awkward.” You shouldn’t. You know its not right. So one of you looks away because the timer is up on when its no longer ok to really see each other.
The real question is, who set this timer in the first place?
