The Invisible String That Connects Us
Throughout every generation, events in history inevitably reshape the society that experienced them. COVID-19 has not only reshaped our society but it will reshape our species if we let it. Humans by design are social beings and our success is dependent on our community and our connection to our tribe. There have been plenty of social scientists that have studied the impact of social media on our communication skills as well as our connections with those outside of our tribe. As conversations and content sharing online increases, our ability to have in-person experiences and share energetic connections has decreased. Empathy is lost amongst our neighbors. This becomes apparent when driving through a neighborhood during an election year and seeing all the political lawn signs. The “other” mentality is nothing new. We have seen it span many generations and cultures. However, time and time again we have been able to break through this divide and human decency reveals itself, even if it’s just a little.
We are facing a unique challenge right now because the “other” mentality is being compounded with COVID-19. Beyond, the physical nature of the virus, the social emotional impacts are tremendous. It doesn’t matter what medium you receive your news through, the headlines will remind everyone the tole this virus is taking on our society and they will remind you to distance yourself from everyone around you. These warnings are absolutely critical to the mitigation of the spread of COVID-19, however they are causing a deeper divide in our society, our tribes are getting smaller and the social media that once exacerbated this phenomenon is now the only thing that is bringing people together.
I often wonder what the other side of this looks like. Will we bond over the struggle or will be afraid to have a conversation with a complete stranger at a coffee shop? Will there still be coffee shops? I of course ponder all these things through the lens of being a father of two young children. What will their experience in all of this be? What happens if this virus takes a physical impact on our family? Will they be able to explore and create in the same way I did when I was a child? Will they be able to be the social creatures that define our species? My wife and I do the best we can in not creating panic around it, but our constant sub-conscience vigilance and anxieties of uncertainties are being felt at the very least through our energetic connections to one another. And then I am reminded of a book that we love to read to our three year old, The Invisible String by Patrice Karst and Geoff Stevenson.
The Invisible String creates a tangible image of what connects us all. As a mother’s two young children become scared of a storm they race to her because it’s the only place where they feel safe. She explains to them “You know we are always together, no matter what.” She holds up her empty hand and explains that the invisible string she was holding was connected to each of them. It doesn’t matter how far away they are, the string is always connected and everyone has multiple strings connecting to all the people around them.
To some, it may seem like a silly story to quell a child’s fears of a thunderstorm. But it does create a picture of the web of invisible strings that connects us all. And just like a spider’s web starts out small, in the beginning our web may just include our immediate family, but as we age it grows to include our neighborhood, and soon our community. And when we bump in to a stranger at the grocery store or another parent at the library those people are stuck to our web too.
We can not lose sight of our invisible strings through all of this. No one knows exactly how this plays out, how many lives it will take either directly or indirectly or how many years it will take for people to feel comfortable being around a stranger again. So as you put your masks on and head back out into world. Remember that those faceless “others” you see on the street or at the office have a story to tell too; they too have times of feeling alone; they too have a family at home; they too are just as freaked out as you are under there.
We will get through this because human decency always perseveres. Keep leaning towards joy, following your passions, and shining your light. It is needed now more than ever.
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