A friend of mine once dialed a wrong phone number and reached an elderly woman, who said, “I live alone and don’t have anyone to talk to. Can we chat for a few minutes?” My friend agreed, and they had a lovely conversation.
That woman was not unique. In the wake of COVID, nearly half of Americans say they struggle with feelings of isolation. Loneliness takes an enormous psychological, physical, and financial toll on millions of people. Rates of depression, heart disease, and stroke are significantly higher in those without strong social bonds.
Our need for relationship is so important to our well-being that we create artificial versions of it when we don’t have the real thing – things like emails, texting, even social media and video conferencing. As wonderful as those tools are, they only simulate relationship. They can’t replace human to human connection.
People who enjoy deep, meaningful relationships live an average of four years longer, and are healthier and happier than those without a thriving social life. Connection helps us to live with a greater sense of meaning and purpose.
In the aftermath of social distancing, remember that you are designed for close, personal, face-to-face interaction with other human beings. The quality of our lives are directly related to the quality of our relationships.
