Reach out and touch someone

Recently on Facebook, this application called, "top fives" has been coming up. One of the top fives today was, "Top five cell phones you've had since your first one". I barfed a little in my mouth. Not because I think cell phones are the work of the devil (ha) but that people who constantly use text messaging as communicating are being deceived. Mobile phone companies and commercials for a number of appliances say things like, "stay connected, get connected" lalala. Lately I have been thinking a lot about how writing what you are doing at that exact moment is not connecting. If you use things like twitter etc. for promotion purposes that is fine, but I think when your primary source of communication with a loved one is through typed words you are really missing out. You are not connecting. You are not engaging. I think of one of my favourite quotes from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: "constantly talking is not neccesarily communicating".

Our world is starving for connection. Rob Bell talks a lot about it in his book, Sex God. We are a disconnected people trying to connect. I have a couple suggestions. Talk to the old man who walks by you and smiles. Shake hands with both of your hands, holding for a second, looking into a person's eyes. Sit for 6 hours while a Congolese woman braids your hair and tells you stories ;) Go for a walk with someone. Be vulnerable. I think it is so frustrating to me because the solution is so simple, and yet we are so afraid. I am curious, if we could be honest, really honest with a few people, would we feel that connection? Who do you miss right now? Who are you thinking about? How are you feeling distant from God? In what areas of your life and heart? We are all broken, and we all have the ability to go to God and ask for some stitches.

It feels like there are no strangers
Anymore
Go anywhere, walk downtown
I’ve seen your face before
Your walk, that smile

And you’ll remember how I collected wet leaves
From the pavement
Though we’ll never talk

Without fear, that which makes us human
Sews us together
Camaraderie of patchwork pieces

I’m skipping
Weightless with truth:
So deeply connected to
Everyone

Sarai poem

Sarai

Laughing in the face of God
You have a bad rep

A nomadic life with a man who can’t explain
The powerful pull of promise

Once the agony of barrenness turned into
Sacrifice
A slave turned lover with new found contempt
Was everything inside you burning?
Weren’t you just trying to help?
A partner’s journey into doubt and futility

I understand
I would have laughed too

Doesn’t it hurt just as much
Entertaining an impossible dream
As it does to give one up?