That’s a question no one should have to answer. My limit was 67 days. Prior to social distancing guidelines becoming our new reality, we celebrated Nathan’s birthday Feb. 29 (a day early) by grabbing some drinks with friends in New York City. That same weekend, I babysat my little cousins, so I got to see and spend time with my family (they all live in the city), and that was the last time I hugged them.

A few weeks ago, I started to become anxious about not seeing my family, so we took the necessary precautions (masks, gloves, washing hands, disinfectant, hand sanitizer, you name it) and paid them a visit. We did a couple of drive-bys to drop off groceries and treats and simply see them. While I did feel better, not being able to hug them was harder than I had expected. I have an almost 4-year-old brother, an 11-year-old cousin and a 10-month-old goddaughter, so it was nearly impossible to resist the need to hug; needless to say, I cried.

As you can imagine, boys at that age have A LOT of energy, and my poor mom, stepfather and aunt are exhausted! In an attempt to “give them a break” and give the boys something to look forward to this past weekend, Nathan and I decided to pick them up and distract them with a ride around town — my family has been in strict quarantine as long as we have.

We grabbed a pizza pie at Fresco’s, our favorite pizza shop in our old neighborhood (support your local businesses!) and set out on New Jersey’s Palisades Parkway. In hopes of getting a little fresh air, we stopped by a few observation decks, but they were crowded — kind of overcrowded if you ask me — so we just kept driving. Somehow we ended up in Sleepy Hollow, so we were able to walk for a little bit and even grab some frozen yogurt.

The uncertainty of the current global situation is overwhelming, but I am determined to focus on the positive and what I can control. While some may find my trip as an “irresponsible and selfish thing to do,” others, like my family, find it exactly what they needed in these tough times. I mean, look at those faces! In my opinion, no one has the answers we need, so until then, we have to use our best judgment and proceed with caution.

Always remember to be kind and spread positivity.

— Yasser Ogando, production & advertising coordinator