ATLANTA — Neighbors have shared messages of togetherness, etching them on sidewalks in chalk. Performers have shared their music. Restaurants have shared their food, handing out free meals and giving homeless people a place to dine together, just as long as they stayed six feet apart.

With the possible exception of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and their aftermath, most Americans have never lived through a moment like this one, with its combination of pervasive health risks, sweeping economic pain and utter uncertainty about the future. The rhythms of everyday life have been obliterated, leaving people stuck in their homes, many of them alone.

There is anxiety. There is loneliness. But there is hope, too.

What might have gotten a passing “like” on Facebook, or maybe even seemed a bit saccharine, before the virus’s spread has now taken on added meaning and emotional heft. Many are searching for evidence that a sense of human connection can transcend physical distance. Or they’re just looking for a distraction. And it looks like they are finding it.