What does it mean to be a community in the time of social distancing? How can we connect with each other, support and inspire each other?
I don’t have any words of wisdom for #wordywednesday. I’ve been having a really hard time lately, and I know I’m not the only one. I feel like Sisyphus with a never ending task of pushing a boulder up a hill with no end in sight and no hope for reprieve. I feel lonely and depleted and chained to the machine of productivity.
I don’t think I realized quite how drained I felt until this past weekend when @mickleme and @lafuglevand dragged me out the door to go for a bike ride. I didn’t want to go - I haven’t had the energy or motivation to do much lately. But, as I got on the bike and the warm breeze started to hit my face I started to feel the energy and vitality rise. I took off, driving the power of my legs through the pedals until my wheels started to spin with ease. I was cruising! We hit some rolling hills and I felt joy and exhilaration as I rolled down the hills and flew up the other sides as if I were riding a motorized bike. I remember thinking these are the moments we live for - when all your hard effort lines up and you can settle in and enjoy the ride.
The ride home was more uphill. Hills I normally would barely register were leaving me tired and depleted. And I remembered that I left the house with a low gas tank. It takes resilience to climb hills and it takes energy to be resilient.
Humans are made to work together. As a community we are stronger, smarter and more resilient. As an extrovert I need many social interactions to keep my energy tank full. I am grateful that I have a supportive wife and close friends I can call. What I lack right now (what many of us lack right now) is connection with our greater community. The people we know from shared interests and values, the people we serve, and the people we connect with in daily life that make us feel like we are all in this together!
Right now, I need this community, and I am here for you! We can not currently comune together but we can stand together in our shared interests and values. We can continue to support and inspire each other. Together we will make it to the top of this never-ending hill!