videoconferencing was made for times like these

Facetiming my dear friend (and Alex’s godfather) Mark this morning. Mark lives in Sweden.

I videoconference almost every day, and have for a few years now — 95% of my business is virtual, and always has been. So I’m very comfortable talking to folks on screens.

But videoconferencing feels different, these days. I find that when I check in with my friends on a video call, as soon as their faces appear on my screen, the first emotion I feel is relief — even more than when I’m speaking with friends via telephone. There’s something very comforting to seeing the faces of people you love smiling back at you, at ease in their normal surroundings. I find that more and more, I want to tell friends, look, I don’t care if you just woke up, I don’t care if your hair is combed, I don’t even care if you’re wearing pants, I just want to see your face.

Just me?

(Please note: in that photo of today’s video call above, I want to make it clear that Mark was already up, he’d combed his hair, and was wearing pants.)

(Also, related: video-call your parents, my friends. They want to see your faces.)

Soundtrack: Call and answer by Barenaked Ladies

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