The past nine months have taught me a lot about relationships. Living connected during a pandemic has its challenges. Our routines for gathering in person have been altered and are evolving.
Yet, we all crave connection; hence the popularity of Z and other platforms since March 2020. We are calling, writing, texting, and posting to connect with others.
I repeatedly hear from people returning to an in-person gathering at church about how meaningful it was to be in the room. I also hear them say, "I didn't realize how much I missed it." What are people missing and finding? It is the connecting with other people—the ability to hear and be heard and to see and be seen.
One goal in self-awareness is the understanding of self. How am I wired? How did God uniquely make me? How do my experiences inform others about my behavior? If you have taken the Myers-Briggs personality assessment, you may understand the INTJ designation. This was my result. The "I" refers to introversion. I tend to be private, reserved, and independent. Solitude refuels. This may surprise those who know me, but it is part of my personality. Why do I share this with you? Because even as an "I," I understand the value of relationship and interaction and know I need connection.
The last nine months have taught me about the essential nature of meaningful relationships in a socially distanced culture. We need each other and we long for connection. Even though things are "different" in 2020, spend time with the people around you. People are what is most important.