We were designed to be in relationships. Solitary confinement has long been a punishment for prisoners. Friendship, marriage, and being part of any team are examples of connectedness that make the human experience better.
Growing up with a small town being the nearest town, I remember the sense of connectedness. People knew each other. There was history between people. It was not perfect. Some did not get along, but mostly it was good.
People took care of each other. If you had a loss, meals showed up. If you were ill, there was help. If you were facing hunger, someone had "extra" to share. It was real and it was good. It was connectedness.
Nature experiences connectedness too, by God's design. I think about the war on dandelions, but bees and other creatures benefit from them, and they provide a source of food and healing. It is the bees that help pollinate the pumpkins before the harvest and so many other things.
"When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world." -John Muir
Symbiosis in nature is not uncommon. Peonies need ants to bloom. Cattle can graze on a field, but then sheep can follow and dig deeper for more food. The Nile crocodile allows the Egyptian plover (bird) to clean its teeth and does not eat the bird. Food for the bird and flossing for the crocodile. Nature is connected and so are we.
“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” – 1 Peter 4:10
Today, I am grateful for connectedness.
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