Face-to-face connections in a growing digital world

The article was by a noted senior psychiatrist, and if that wasn’t enough, it was supported by America’s top doctor, their Surgeon General – couple of ‘heavy hitters’ to be sure!

I learned that up to half of all Americans may be seriously affected by this. But the more troubling thing they alluded to was the rate with children was expected to be much higher again. Wow, I thought to myself, how sad is that. What might the future bring to these kids?

I have since found out that back in November 2023 the World Health Organisation declared loneliness to be a “global public health concern”.

It is all kind of crazy when you think about it. We have all the gadgets today to get us connected with each other in mere seconds. Options abound!

No previous generation has had at their very fingertips what we have today. Surely social media should put us way ahead of these earlier deprived generations. How did they ever manage to connect, or even have ‘friends’?

Of course, technology brings many advantages with it, but it does fall seriously short when it comes to building and maintaining personal friendships and relationships.

Sadly today people are more intimately connected to their keypads and little screens, than they are to family and friends!

Let me note something here which I think is important. There is a huge difference between being alone, and being lonely. I have always enjoyed times of being alone. Way back when I was shepherding, and then later as a farm manager, I worked on my own a lot. So I learned early to be settled in my own company.

For me, I have never equated being alone with loneliness. Times of being alone can be a real positive. They give you the opportunity to think through some of the deeper and more heavy issues of life. You can slow the clock down for a bit, take your foot off the pedal and properly evaluate life and where you’re heading. You can come out of those times a better and more well-balanced person. Our wound-tight hectic world doesn’t allow much time for inner growth. And I think we are all the poorer because of it.

Loneliness is a different ballgame altogether. You can be surrounded by people with seemingly endless people noise, yet still be lonely. Social media platforms won’t solve the issue.

Chasing a busy schedule will help mask it and quiet its voice for a bit too. But masking something is never really the healthy solution.

Do I have any helpful suggestions, you may wonder? From what I have read, and from my own experiences, connecting with people is so important. And by connecting with people, I mean face to face, not through a keypad and screen!

I actually don’t do any social media at all. That’s my choice and it works for me. Despite that ‘disadvantage’, I count myself very blessed to have a good number of true friends. Some are older than me, and some much younger, and with others, we go back decades. And like so many others, I to have come to know the Good Shepherd as a friend like no other. Take care and God bless.

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