I wrote this piece a year ago for The New York Times, but the editor killed it several months later. (One reason I think she killed it is she wanted it to be more about mental illness and I wanted it to be more about loneliness. Loneliness can be a symptom of mental illness, but it's not a form of mental illness.) I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the importance of loose-tie relationships like those we have with our hairstylists. The COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine have definitely affected our sense of loneliness and belonging. I imagine many of us miss our hairstylists, our bartenders, and our servers at our favorite restaurants, and the ways they help us feel like we belong.