Before COVID, I used to be able to assess a parent’s level of happiness with their child’s new smile by reading their face after the “big reveal.” The braces came off. And I could see in their face if they were happy or not. Then, masks were mandated. So you’ll never guess what I “looked to” for nonverbal communication in the age of COVID…

Is there anything more magical than a smile? The smile born from a baby’s first taste of ice cream, or from a child after his first solo ride on a bike without training wheels, or from that special moment when she says yes to the ring…