We told ourselves the phones were saving us time. In truth they filled every gap we had. The queue, the walk, the pause before sleep, the small silences where a thought might once have wandered toward another person. We disconnected as far as human beings are willing to go, and then we called it progress.
It has been fascinating and illuminating how much we are all aware that we are overwhelmed with connection, and at the same time underwhelmed by the feeling we matter. A lack of emotional connection and sensing that to matter as a customer, a supplier, a parent, a friend, a sibling, even a spouse is being challenged. Time, technology, tasks and doomscrolling has impacted all our ability to connect as closely as we wish we could. So how do we know which relationships are deeply significant and give our commitment, and which are looser, more casual, less important relationships to us? How do those people that matter to you know they do?
Contribution is a confusing act. Many people feel uncomfortable needing it, and some find it hard to give it without an agenda, an outcome. I learned with Toby the synchronicity of two hearts in need. The person that wants to contribute and the person that received these acts of love. Both hearts achieve joy, and a boost in oxytocin, self worth and confidence growing together.