(ThySistas.com) The world is a much smaller place now than it was for many of us growing up. Community and family were one in the same for so many of us. If you came from a medium to large family your closest friends coming up very well might have been your cousins. Who we called aunt and uncle was not a matter of blood. There was biological family, and then there were those the Lord decided would be family in addition to what you were born to. There are many factors that contribute to feeling this village is distant. We live and as we grow and navigate some of us find self not feeling connected outside of familiarity and obligation. Those you used to be able to tell everything now represent silence. The sibling you were close to is distant and you question everything you know about them including if they even like as a person. You wonder if they love you. This isolation can take a toll on one’s mental health, sense of self and of community.
It is a terrible feeling to come to the conclusion that you feel like an outsider with no community…no family. Regardless of if that is the fact of the matter technically, the reality of how you feel takes center stage. The world is smaller, and no lover requires transportation to constitute a sense of community. What you need for social validation, and a sense of community whereby you are truly seen and understood might the virtual.
Some of us grew up in a world whereby community was based on experience and proximity to the people we considered a part of said community. It may not have just been our neighborhood…but the city, state, or region we lived in. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case. We are more spread out whether it was to go to college and we never move back, jobs move us to another part of the country, or natural disasters displace us. For many reasons we no longer live in our bubble. Another thing to consider is we can be among each other physically, but we no longer align. In this instance relationships are being held together by blood, obligation, trauma, and even love.
Nevertheless, this is no longer your village in a supportive common ground’s basis. Too many of us live in this reality and it gives place to mental and physical health issues as we are merely existing but not living. In this space you can be surrounded by people that know of you but do not know you…you are isolated and alone.
Though we can be leery of it, technology does have its assets. Through social media many of us engage with others and the issues of our communities and country. Because of technology, the world is much smaller. There is a virtual community for just about everything for just about everyone. Before you speak against it remember once upon a time there were those leery of a telephone, a TV, a computer. As time went on, how we interacted with each other evolved. Though you should do so carefully one should consider interacting with the world. You will find there are people you can talk to about life and living that are outside of your community physically, but in terms of values and interests they are your village. Family might take on a new meaning as it can become more than blood and close proximity to you. This means we don’t have to be alone; we just have to be willing to get out into creation in a different form.
Its okay to be apprehensive. However, you are living in isolation when there are options. This is where we might want to be less stubborn. There are people who will genuinely bond with you and should up for you when they have never met you in person a day in their life. They might be across the world from you. However, they talk with you, engage in hobbies with you, sit on video chat with you when you are in distress, some have helped you making sure you had enough money to eat or keep the utilities on, they remember your birthday and genuinely care about your wellbeing. Just as you aren’t a crazy person on the internet there are others out there just as sane. I was playing a game on Xbox, and the game has a pretty tight community. One of the gamers passed away and in the community’s way we mourned her and honored her life as we knew it. Even though many of us never met her in person she mattered to us all. It may be time to consider that your community might be virtual, especially when you can’t move around much, or your current community is toxic to you. Allow yourself to have a chance to interact with people that will value you…even if they are far away.
Staff Writer; Chelle’ St James
May also connect with this sister via Twitter; ChelleStJames.