Keeping Connections Real

Yes, another post today.  Seems like I’m in a writing mode lately, doesn’t it?  I think it’s me playing to a strength, doing something I love, and being able to expound on a new learning or insight.  It’s a way for me to stay in conversatin and exploration with others about issues that feel relevant in the moment.  Which is a great seguey into the topic for this post:  connections.

We live in a world which seemingly affords the opportunity to be forever connected.  And you would think that, given my belief in the importance of human connection, that I would welcome this.  And I do, for the most part.  I do have one reservation however, and this is around the depth and sincerity of these virtual connections.  You see, so often, the connections that are being made seem fleeting and superficial.  Virtual communications also eliminate a critical aspect to the human need for connection, and that is the energetic quality that can only be experienced through voice or touch.

Over this past week I’ve really noticed that I have a need to really connect with others.  Email is wonderful, social networking is great, but I need to have connections that go that one step deeper.  I need to be in the physical presence of others — I need to see faces, hear voices and sometimes hold another’s hand.  In other words, the language simply isn’t enough for me.  I need the subtle nuances of connection that get expressed when we’re genuinely together.

Don’t get me wrong:  at times, email communication, or social networking is better than nothing.  After all, I can often “hear” another person’s voice even when I’m simply reading an email just as well as if they were here.  As our world continues to move ahead at sometimes breakneck speeds, however, I think it behooves us to ensure that we aren’t removing the total experience of connection altogether.  I personally think that two-dimensional connections aren’t enough for us to thrive as we’re intended.

Bottom-line: go ahead –  engage in the virtual communications and get with the times by all means.  At some point, however, remind yourself to keep the connections real.  That way you’ll stay connected to who you really are as well.