It’s Sunday and I’m in St. Paul, MN taking a shuttle from the airport to Luther Seminary with six other people going to various hotels.  My trip so far has been, thankfully, uneventful and I’ve been able to get a lot of reading done for class. I recall trying to read on planes in the past and remember usually giving up because the person next to me wanted to talk. That was years ago. Today when I got to my gate, I noticed people had their heads down looking at cell phones or tablets- often with ear buds in. The same held true on the plane. I wouldn’t have minded a friendly conversation but, since I had so much work to do, I was grateful for the time to read. Now I’m in the shuttle and still no one is acknowledging one another.  No one is looking up. I waited about ten minutes before pulling out my iPad but now I, too, am looking down so I can type this blog entry. We are disconnected from each other, each caught up in our separate worlds.

This makes me pause to consider how that affects us. With cell phones, email and social media we’re supposed to be more connected today than ever, but it’s a distant connection. It’s not the same as a face-to-face personal encounter complete with body language and instant responses. Somehow all these technological options for connection are actually making us less connected. Yet, according to one of the many required readings for my pastoral care class, happiness is found in connections and relationships. Could all this disconnection be contributing to the higher rates of depression today?

Christianity is about practicing love for God and others. It’s a religion of relationships and connection. The church remains the one place I go that’s not filled with TV’s or people staring at their phones and tablets. People speak to each other and form relationships. This is part of what makes church special to me. We’re created to be in relationships. We’re created to connect. When we do, it brings joy and fulfillment. It teaches empathy and awareness for others. It changes us and helps mold us into better people. It also helps connect us back to God, as we see and experience God in our interactions.

Try turning off the TV and computer, putting down the book, newspaper, cell phone, or tablet, and make today a day to connect with people. Go for a walk, call someone on the phone, make eye contact, smile, look at your spouse or friend when you talk with them. Be attentive. Give the gift of your undivided attention. Notice the difference it makes. Then pray. Be attentive and listen. Reconnect with God.

Jesus gives us the example of being attentive, and his attentiveness leads to love. In Mark 10:21a it says, “Jesus, looking at him, loved him….” Read Mark 10:17-27,and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally!

Annie