Does anyone else find it strange that we are the most connected via the internet, media presence, and information at our fingertips, yet it seems as if we’ve never been this lonely? Most of us would admit that some days we feel like we are on an island without a paddle in sight and wonder where the people who said they would help are. What we need may even be small: a person to talk to, someone to take our kids for an hour to do our grocery shopping alone, a friend to go with us to a local paint studio so our kids can have a nice outing being creative without the stress of managing everything alone. These small things are often taken for granted.
I can’t help but look at past generations and wonder what they would think of a generation that can sit at home and have groceries brought to their doorstep with the press of a button. Can you imagine their response to not having to gather their own food or having indoor plumbing? Yet, I can’t help but wonder if we need to tune back into our roots—cultures that had to rely on one another for basic survival. Perhaps the increase in anxiety and depression is linked to the poor habit of not making those daily connections we need to thrive. Maybe we need to think about building that again.
Because we’ve gotten lost in the noise and chaos of life, it might take time to rebuild a life where we are reliable and helpful to our friends and community. In my personal world, I have started to make changes to improve things for my family. I even ask the mom with a kid playing at the park if she wants to meet again because our kids are having fun. Even when we (moms) felt alone when we arrived, I hope you find encouragement in knowing there are still many nice people out there. If you simply ask for what you need—in this case, another person to be present with you and enjoy your kids having fun—you might find lasting connections. Your circle will start to grow, and in time, you might even be able to offer to watch the friend your little one made so that mom can get groceries in peace while the kids play, and vice versa.
The world has so much to offer. We need to seek out the help we need and be the reliable support for others. You are worth having peace and love in your life, so let’s build it together.
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