We live in a digital age. We've known this. We've accepted it.
But I don't think we fully understood all the implications of that until this Spring.
This Spring, life (as we have known it) stopped.
Schools closed.
Businesses closed.
Churches stopped meeting.
Families and friends stayed home - separated from their loved ones.
Trips were postponed and cancelled.
We've each come to find a new routine, a new temporary "normal".
Online meetings, classes, and phone calls have filled in the gaps of meeting in person.
Social media is filled with videos and pictures of families sharing their lives with others.
We've gone fully digital.
But there's a hole in each of our hearts right now as we long to be together.
We have learned a lesson that only isolation can bring:
The Great Joy of Togetherness.
In this moment, in the very middle of a "digital" age life,
we see the true value of being together.
The comfort and love shared in a hug.
The joy of seeing someone - face to face.
The desire to see and encourage others that compels us to drive by their house just to honk, wave, and tell them we love them.
The longing to talk for just a "few more minutes" in someone's driveway just to be with them.
The encouragement we get and share from leaving hand written messages of hope in chalk on the sidewalk.
I can't help but think, in a world that desperately needs true connection...perhaps this is one of the greatest lessons we can take away from this time. As life returns to "normal", I hope we remember this lesson... that we take every opportunity to truly embrace the people we are with and be fully present with them...that we continue the drive-bys on holidays to see others. I hope we gather in each other's homes more and live in unity with others...that we spend a few more minutes talking about real things that are on our hearts, and a few less minutes keeping on emotional masks. I hope we continue to encourage one another with simple things.
I hope we find ourselves truly embracing the Joy of Togetherness.
"Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God... God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus."
- Philippians 1:3;8