Maybe Being Surrounded by Each Other Isn't Enough

I belong to a moms’ group on Facebook that shares ongoings in our lives and this week, with the death of Robin Williams, we were talking about depression and support.  In one post, one of the women said something that really hit me.   She said, “I think God designed us to be connected to others, not surrounded by others.” I want to say that again, “I think God designed us to be connected to others, not surrounded by others”. 

If you let that really sink it, you may find, like I did, that this is something so many of us need to hear. In a world of technology we are often “connected” by social media, surrounded by the words of each other but are we really connecting with each other?  Do we have at least a few people to which we communicate with and relate to?   How often do we look another person in the eye or even talk on the phone with someone and really focus on them, knowing that they are doing the same? Do we even really connect with those closest to us? Do we take the time to sit with our kids, our spouses, our siblings, our parents, our friends and make every effort to connect with them. Do we spend time together doing what they like to do or teaching them about something that interests us or do we just sit near each other in silence with our face in our phone?     

Maybe it’s time to turn off the TV system in car and talk to each other or at least bond over singing a song at the top of our lungs and laughing when the next car over looks at us like we are crazy. Maybe it’s time to pull up a chair next to our kids and watch their shows or play their games with them in an effort to connect so that next time they may talk to us when we turn the TV off.  Maybe more often we need to go outside with our kids instead of telling them to go outside.  Maybe it is time to ask our spouse how their day was and really listen when the answer.  Maybe we need to make more time for girls night and date night.

Our lives are busy, I understand that, but are they busy with the right things? Are we making the most of our time? Are we putting people first and things last?  When we only have a short time with the people in our lives are we making the most of that time?  

When I read the post in my moms’ group, these and so many more thoughts ran through my head.  I also thought about the fact that so many of us have” friends” on facebook, but do we have friends?  Do we have a support group and are we part of someone’s support group?  Are we connecting in a way that we are really sharing of ourselves in way that matters?

That sentence, the one at the top that I repeated twice, is so simple, yet so deep.  I hope that you will take the time to think about it and make an effort to connect with someone.  While you’re at it, maybe you could take some time to connect with yourself. Many of us need that, too.