Connectivity.

How’s your connection this week?

With the movement to all things online, your Zoom, Netflix, Google Hangouts, and Facetime are probably all busy burning the midnight oil, and subsequently, occasionally freezing up during “peak” hours (whatever that means these days as we transition from our day jammies to our night jammies).

But that’s not what I’m talking about this week when asking the above question.

As I mentioned last week, I’ve had a love-hate relationship with technology, but I’m seeing its use for good in abundance right now. Thus, I felt a silver-lining helping of gratitude in my interactions this week.

My father set up a family Zoom call last night. He was able to talk with my grandfather earlier in the week at his nursing home, and he wanted to try it with the family. My 5-year-old nephew, dressed up for the occasion, complete in his Spider-Man costume and homemade mask, demonstrated his lego-made weapons for saving the world. My teenage nephews grabbed their lacrosse sticks and showed us their mad skills (indoors, I might add), and my “tweener” nephew and niece  gave us a very informative tour of their fish tank (and their fish, Mason), the succulents they’ve nurtured in their pots, and a homemade parking lot made out of cardboard and their tiny metal cars. Sans children, we provided comic relief with our black lab, Remi, who kept jumping on and off the couch, and our plant, a peace lily we affectionately named Lewis. It was a wonderful 40 minutes of chaotic hilarity.

I’ve had similar encounters across the spectrum of multimedia—online fitness classes with ever-present instructors who care, warm interactions on Marco Polo, and a lot of laughter via Facetime.  I have coffee phone calls with my athletes. I’ve reconnected with old friends and stayed solid with new ones.   

It’s interesting. In many cases, I’ve had a great deal of face time—for some relationships, more than normal. It makes me contemplate what I’ll learn from this time, and what I’ll take with me when it passes.

For me, I won’t miss the additional screen time occurring right now (and a myriad of other things, obviously), but I am incredibly fond of the connection.

I came across a quote last week from Thoreau—one I’ve never seen before, as follows:

“Simplicity! Simplicity! Simplicity! We are happy in proportion to the things we can do without.”

It may be a little too early to make this consideration, but as all things are impermanent, I’m curious what I’ll add (and subtract) in post-quarantine life. I think, first, I’ll add a healthy dose of gratitude in the liberation that comes with coming and going as I please. Staying at home, though, also reminds me of the coziness of going out less. Technology (and hey, other means of keeping in touch, like a beautiful handwritten card) reminds me that I can add a little better job of keeping in touch. Days without news remind me that I’m in a much better mindset when limiting my exposure to that, too. That I can cook a little more. That I can spend a little less. That I’m grateful for the experiential in all things, to include hugging my people.

Maybe it’s too early to make these considerations. But in the uncertainty of this time, I wonder if you’re pondering these questions, too. I’m not currently dealing with expelling my kids from homeschool, so perhaps I just have a little quieter place to think (parents, I salute you right now).

It’s my hope in the good days and not-so-good days, that you’re giving yourself grace in times where you’re doing the best you can, even if that doesn’t feel like your “normal” standard of the best you can. I hope you’re not comparing the difficult parts of your life with someone else’s highlight reel. I hope you are safe and healthy, and I wish the same for your family. I hope you are connected, in the way that counts…and I hope you are able to take that connection (or any other bright spot) forward when this time passes.

Be well, friends. If you have any contemplations on the above, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

Xo,

Cami