CONNECT.

In this advanced technology era with hi-tech communication devices, it is very ironic that the connection between people is rarely to be felt on personal level. What I mean about "on personal level" is a face to face connection, a time well spent talking to the people around you to know them better.

I found out that in this era of social medias, modern gadgets and 24/7 communication line providers, people tend to embrace those who are far away and set aside those who are close to them. This phenomenon is often be found around us and maybe we're stuck in it as well.

One day, I saw a family sitting in the same table but each were busy with their own gadgets. They were barely communicating with each other. I guess it won't be a surprise if one day people would lose the ability to do a direct communication with other people. It's like we're cutting the "real" connection with other people.

If you don't see each other, it is very easy to hide everything. Let's say, I feel upset about something that you do, but by adding a smiley emoticon in the end of my text message I can ensure you that everything's fine. I can lie to you and say everything I want to you to believe through what I write without the fear that you would find that out because hey! we don't see each other. 

If you don't see each other, it is very easy to get misunderstood. Written words are often interpreted according to the reader. Most of the time, text messages are misunderstood just because we think the sender is using a certain tone that upsets us while the sender actually doesn't mean that way. 

If we communicate through a media it is very hard to really see if what is said and what is seen are real. We need to see a person face to face to know if he/she is lying or not, we need to know them to be sure that they are telling us the truth and that they are for real, we need to recognize their facial expressions, we need to see how they react and how they do things for real. Those things can't be done through any media but only through a real connection.

No wonder marriages are failing and relationships are breaking if people stop to connect to each other. My Pastor went to a marriage get away few days ago and he was surprised by the fact that when a romantic dinner for the couples was arranged and the couples were suppose to interact with each other, he found that most of them were busy with their own gadgets and when the event organizer told them to keep their gadgets away they seemed to be so confuse of what to do because they were not able to connect with their spouse. 

Connection is very important because then we could understand other people better and thus, avoiding misunderstanding and wrong judgment. That is why maybe all of us should learn how to re-connect with other people in an old way, going out for lunch or coffee. Taking time to really connect by talking, listening and paying attention to other people.

It is also a respectful gesture if you don't get busy with your gadgets all the time while you are with someone. It's not nice when you get busy updating your BBM status or twitter all the time while you have someone in front of you. Somehow it will give an impression that they are not that important to you and don't even worth your time because you are all busy with your "other social activities". Honestly, I don't consider such people as friends, because I think friends are those who would spend their time to catch up with you, they would set aside their gadgets and engage in a conversation with you because they would think you are more important than updating their BBM status or twitter. 

That's on friendship level. What about other relationship? Would you want to partner with someone who's constantly busy with their own gadgets while you are trying to explain to them about your business ideas? I don't think so. If they don't even have time to converse about the business how would you expect they would have time to do the business? Won't they think their "other social activities" are more important than the business? Uh-oh!


And in marriage level, would you spend your life with someone who cares more of his/her gadget than trying to have a conversation and connecting with you? I don't think so too.


See, connection is very important in all level of relationship. Connection builds intimacy that leads to trust, security and confidence. Connection helps us to understand other people better and also will help us to decide which relationship we should keep and which relationship we should say goodbye to. Connection will also help us to meet many opportunities and chances in life. It is an investment with a long term effect :)


Thus, take time to get away from your gadgets and start connecting now. You'll be surprised of where it can take you to ;)