וֶהֱוֵי מְקַבֵּל אֶת כָּל הָאָדָם בְּסֵבֶר פָּנִים יָפוֹת

Receive all people with a pleasant countenance. -Pirkei Avot 1:15

Every morning Adam, Ruby, and I take a walk in our neighborhood. It has become one of those sacred rituals of this time at home, as I imagine it has for many. We keep our physical distance from the neighbors, never getting closer than ten or so feet from other strollers. However, we have become accustomed to—and look forward to!—the “hellos” and the waves we give and receive, which mean so much more now than ever with so little contact outside of our pod.

Most mornings we connect with a couple walking their dogs, always wearing their beautifully patterned masks. I’ve grown used to our sweet hellos and short exchanges, even though I can’t see their whole faces. Then one morning, I realized that I didn’t need to see the full faces of our neighbors; even with masks donned, I could easily tell from the twinkle in their eyes that they were smiling. With masks on, we can still enjoy the “pleasant countenance” our ancestors referred to in Pirkei Avot. A smile from behind a mask means that we care deeply about the people in our community and that we treasure both the moment of engagement and the precious gift of life that God has given us.

We are all missing so much. Each one of us individually grieves lost, shared moments: graduations, trips, weddings, holiday celebrations with family, and more. But when we take special notice of small gifts, like the sweetness of smiling eyes and the pleasant countenance of a thoughtful neighbor, we can sustain our resilience and help to bring about a better and more hopeful hour ahead.
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— Cantor Emma Lutz