I watched a handful of Baristas at my local Starbucks last week having a good laugh behind the counter; I couldn’t help but notice they were the only ones engaging in any form of human connection.
People were working on laptops, and others silently sat together as they scrolled madly through whatever had their attention—zero interaction.
All at once, the silence was all I could hear—even drowning out the laughter from behind the counter. The lack of connectedness was deafening.
How did we get here?
It’s easy to point at the giant elephant in the room…
[Am I allowed to say that, or is it no longer politically correct?
I can’t keep up, and if I’m being honest, I’m not sure I want to. It’s exhausting]
Human connection is missing.
We can blame Covid, social media and our devices because they have had a significant role in our lives over the past few years. With so much of our time being spent behind a computer or on our devices, it’s easier than ever to text versus call or build friendships over Facebook instead of coffee.
That leads me to wonder, has our growing need for social media voyeurism—living life through the lens of what others are doing, wearing and saying on social media—diminished our desire for genuine human connection?
I don’t have the answer, but it does have me thinking differently about what it means to have authentic relationships and interactions that fill our cups, not deplete them.
So, I’m challenging myself—and you—to spend time with people. Make an effort to connect in a meaningful way. Ask questions, make eye contact and strike up conversations that require critical thinking or might end in a healthy debate.
Start a conversation with a stranger—share an experience or give a compliment because it will make someone’s day. Spreading a little kindness can have a ripple effect of genuine connectedness.
I hope my unfiltered thoughts result in one or two of you taking pause the next time you are presented with the opportunity to connect and engage in a meaningful way.
Be authentic. Be real. Be kind.
-David
