A somewhat recent experience for me that occurred within my
community was when we began to emerge from COVID-19
lockdowns, which happened a few times here in California, I was
repeatedly contacted by people my age to join groups at a local
community center with the purpose of reconnecting with each other
after being away for so long. Truthfully, I wanted nothing to do with
it. I was texting, emailing, and using Zoom to connect with these very
same people for so long, why would I want to adjust to this new
lifestyle I was finally getting used to—staying home!
My bias was knowing that I absolutely should go connect with good
friends and check up on people that meant a lot to me in my life, but
I often decided against it at first. Out of the eight dimensions, I think
this really influenced my emotional and spiritual wellness. I know that
I should go out, be social, reconnect with people in person, but it got
so comfortable and easy to stick with texting, Zoom (can't believe I'm
saying that now—please no more Zoom), and email. Everything I did
or worked on outside my house was suddenly home with me. It was
easy. It was convenient. But, I wasn't realizing what I was missing.
This experience reminds me of the importance of connecting with a
compassionate community and being able to adapt to changing
circumstances.
