Staying connected, staying close, is something we all seem to have our own, somehow secret, views on but rarely give consideration to until it's absent. Until recently technology was much maligned, viewed as a contributor to the absence of 'real' connection, devices of distraction and distance, that create electronic walls between us and the ones we care about.
But that view has surely changed in recent times. What a lifeline our technology has been for families and friends in this current lockdown life we lead. How grateful are the grandparents able to FaceTime with their grandchildren? How much of a release is found in an online quiz with friends and some music on Zoom? And how much solidarity and comfort exists in sharing pictures and tactics about getting through it all on Facebook or Insta?
There are those already 'plugged in' and comfortable in this world, but so many more have begun to access it and discover new ways of making connections with those they love and need in their lives.
This isn't a love letter to technology. I don't have a horse in the race (or maybe I've bet each way!!) as I work both online and in person so see the benefits of both and understand people's preferences either way.
What this does highlight to me is how much more connected we can be when we open ourselves up to new possibilities and ways of communicating with each other. We can all get a little stuck, a little stayed, when it comes to how we talk to each other, who we talk to even. By letting go of some of those things, those old ways (or being forced to by a pandemic!) we can allow ourselves to explore new avenues of communication we had not considered before, avenues that may be more easily walked by those we communicate with less well.
This does require a little step outside of our comfort zones, a slight change of perspective, of seeing the world through a different lens for a moment. But the more we consider the best way to connect and communicate from the perspective of the other person, the more chance we give ourselves of being heard and truly hearing them in return.
It could be a text message out of the blue. A just right gift sent for no other reason than because it made you think of them. It could be the touch of your hand on their shoulder, in their hand, on their cheek. A walk in silence or a shared laugh late into the night. It could be just letting someone know that you're thinking of them and you're there when they are ready.
What ever it is that keeps us within reach of each other, the truth is we each know what that thing is for ourselves and for each other, what would begin the conversation, what holds meaning. We just need to be willing to lean into it.
To reach out.
To connect.
To make sure we remain within touching distance.
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