I hear the words "unprecendented times" a lot, these days.
This past weekend saw the annual Gathering of The Labyrinth Society, a worldwide organization of which both my husband and I are lifetime members. I even served on their board of directors for a while.
There has been this annual gathering of labyrinth enthusiasts for more than 20 years, and 2021 was no exception. Except, in 2021 the Gathering took place in virtual space, rather than face-to-face in Scottsdale, Arizona which was to have been this year's venue. AND last year's venue, as well. The 202o TLS Gathering was also in virtual form, only.
I am grateful that we do have these virtual options for keeping communities alive, but at the same time there's also something missing when all you have is a computer interface... in this case Zoom and Topia.io.
Meanwhile, our local Unity congregation — of which we are also members — have not had a face-to-face service since March 2020.
Places of Worship are perhaps among the most widespread forms of community for many people, and the current situation has taken that option out of play for millions of people around the world. I know that for a lot of the elderly people in our local Unity chapter, "Church on Sunday" was — for all intents and purposes — their only social activity, and now that is gone.
Then I think of my own ministry, and my practice as a counselor.
I don't really "see people" anymore; it essentially all takes place online. Not that I saw a lot of clients at my home office, to begin with.
Regardless, one of the sad trends I hear about from my clients is the way people feel more and more disconnected from each other and from their surroundings. And, in many ways, there's very little we can actually do about it.
I often suggest to people that they just take walks, even if by themselves. Sometimes it's better to walk around your neighborhood where you'll likely meet other people walking around the neighborhood, and you can wave at them and talk a bit, even if it's across a 15-foot gap. It's not much, but there's something a little more tangible about it, than seeing someone's face on a screen.
Fortunately, this seems to be somewhat less of an issue for those under 25, who have never lived in a world without virtual communities.
Thanks for stopping by, and Bright Blessings to all!
You are not alone! (Graphic is our own)
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