Have you seen people in a restaurant who rather than talking to those there with them are texting on their cellphones and you felt irked by it? Do you believe that the only real meaningful connections are those mostly made in person, not online or by phone or text? How does it feel to you when your kids prefer to text you than call you?
Connection is one of the greatest gifts humanity experiences. We are each blessed by having a variety of relationships and to be able to connect with one another in a number of ways. No matter how we spend time communicating, it’s the connection that makes us feel alive.
This past weekend, St. Paul, Minnesota was blanketed with a steady snowfall which resulted in over a foot of snow. Not able to drive or leave my house, cooped up with two restless dogs, and having accomplished all one would want to on a snowy weekend, caused me to consider isolation and connection.
A Zoom meeting (an online platform like Skype or FaceTime) with two amazing co-facilitators of the upcoming Venerable Women retreat at the Christine Center, made the three of us comment how nice it was to be warm and safe in our homes, yet still co-create and connect. It was a lovely meeting.
Having a few cherished millennials in my life teaches me how texting and inserting Emojis (expressive images) creates meaningful connection between them and their family and friends. Many of them are not fond of talking on the phone, yet they gather in person and even with their cell phones out and ready for use, they have rich and loving relationships. I’ve seen this and experienced it. These wise young people realize that staying connected can look different than what we’ve been used to.
Gathering in person can elevate our connection and relationships exponentially—and other forms of communication can inspire rich relationship as well.
Tomorrow night, April 17th at 7 PM, I’ll be hosting a live call so we can connect! It’s called Vennie Connect (short for Venerable Connection). We’ll have a guided meditation, contemplate advice from “Dear Venerable,” and share our wisdom.
Our Vennie Connect guest, Denise Hollis, will share her views on the path of the venerable woman. Paige Severson will offer some very general ideas about planetary influences on us. We’ll end our call with a small act of venerability that will make us feel happy and hopeful. This live call will be turned into a podcast and will be available on the Venerable Women website.
May we continue to engage with one another in new and meaningful ways. I’m grateful to be connected with you.
