Connectivity

In todays world, when we talk about being connected we all too often think about it from a technological perspective. The internet, social media, email … they’ve all enabled us to be more connected to one another. This has been especially important over the past year through the Covid-19 pandemic. I think there are other, deeper ways that we are connected.

I’ve just returned from a virtual forest & nature therapy walk that I did on the beach. Through the wonder of Zoom a group of seven were able to connect – three in England, two in Switzerland, one in Norway and one in France. A group of people who I’ve never met in person yet I know we all feel a great kinship towards one another – connected through the natural world.

Our final invitation of the walk today was about water. We were asked to be with some water and the question was posed to think about where that water had come from and where it was going. We may have all been hundreds of miles apart geographically, but in that moment we were all connected by this one thing – water. My mind was whirring with thoughts – perhaps this water that I was looking at in the sea off the coast of West Sussex had once been in that forest in Norway? Or perhaps been part of a lake in Switzerland … or anywhere else in the world for that matter. As I now sit at home I watch the rain against my window and whilst I know that it has come from rain clouds now – where have those clouds come from? Where has this water previously been in the world?

It isn’t just water though that connects us. Look up and see the sky – we’re all under it. The sun may be hidden under the clouds here right now – but that sun is also being seen not only across Europe and Africa but is also starting to be seen in the Americas as the new day starts to dawn. Thinking of that I’m reminded of that classic song It’s a small world (follow the link for an ear worm!). There is just one moon and one golden sun …

The natural world has the amazing ability to bring us all closer together. Language barriers and distances can dissolve in an instant when you are together connecting with nature. That shared moment of being in awe of such beauty, power or perhaps grace helps connect us all in ways technology never can.

Invitation: sit by a body of water. I wonder where that water has come from and where it is going? Perhaps you want to share a message with it to take with it on its journey.

If you feel moved to take this invitation – I invite you to share what you are noticing below.