People Need People
How is everyone coping with their forced quarantine? It sure is giving us time to think, huh. I’m realizing that my excuse to not get this, this, and this done…has not, nor ever has been the real reason I don’t get anything done. I just like to do what I want! THAT is the truth. Being busy doing important “real” things in the world, “feels” more justified….than just acknowledging that I’m a procrastinator and I’m tired and I only want to do what I want to do.
I’m hearing that we have a month left of this, at least. I’m thinking that a month is a long time…certainly long enough to create a new routine with these new circumstances. So far I’ve only got:
Mon: Go for a walk,
Tues: Work on the house/yard
Wed: Go for a walk. 4pm-10pm work
Thurs: Work on the house/yard
Fri: 8:30am-10pm work
Sat: 8:30-10:30am work, go for a walk, 7-8:30 work
Sun: 8:30-8pm work.
I manage to interject lots of other things into the blank spots though. Which has gotten me thinking. I live a Iife of service. Why? Who knows….it justifies my existence, my need to be needed, my deeply held desire that no one feels alone. What I will tell you is that service has helped to heal me. It has put my broken pieces back together, and it gets me out of my head and shows me in bright flashing color…that its not all about me. So really, if the truth be told, my motive has always been selfish….its not all about me, but its always been about me. Lol. It feels good to give to others, to share, to love, to encourage, to figure things out together, to hold space with one another.
This morning Hannah (my girl) and I were riding in the car together, on an early morning sojourn to the land of Costco to try to score some paper products. We were talking about people finding their purpose or their calling in this life. We talked about how that doesn’t happen unless we are engaged with other people in this world, and how sometimes people need another person to dive in, to immerse themselves and swim along side. Not stand on the shore clapping and cheering. We can’t do “it” for anyone else, but we can make ourselves available and be present while they figure out their path. It takes time, and energy, and an investment of ourselves. I think the closest thing I can compare it to would be discipleship. A routine interaction, conversation, processing, an honest and authentic, safe, transparent and shared relationship.
What I’m seeing is that we all have been forced to isolate from one another. I know we can FaceTime, and chat online, and Marco Polo and Snap Chat, but what about holding someone’s hand, or touching someone’s arm, kissing the cheek of a friend or a grand baby, hugging someone….that is all pretty much gone for right now. It feels abnormal. It IS abnormal! People need other people. Human beings are not created to do life alone. Even when we have been hurt and we are afraid, even if we live a life that is guarded and protected by the walls that we work feverishly to construct and maintain, at the very core of who we are, we still need other people.
So I ask you, how are you staying connected?
Im so looking forward to hearing from each of you.
With so much love….
Annette
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We have three folk in our house so lots of connection there, sometimes too much ;). I still support our aging parents with transportation to medical appointments, getting their groceries, some simple maintenance at their home. I connect to my recovery groups electronically now, able to attend meetings on-line. Phone calls, face time. We can play our favorite game with family and friends over the internet. Playing the game together and having phones with the speaker on so we can enjoy the game banter. Mostly, I try hard to stay connected to God, knowing that faith is the antidote to fear, to depression. My Creator still asks that I do service for him, by reaching out to others in all the various ways available to us. Thanks for asking, reminding all of us how important our communities are.