In Person

The digital age has made constant connection possible but has removed the perceived need for in-person interaction. This trend could be seen in nearly any neighborhood you drive through. The kids are not playing outside. There are not 5 bikes parked outside one house. Kids are not hanging out with the other kids in their neighborhoods. They are inside, on their devices, interacting with people around the world. The digital age has made physical proximity not a requirement for interaction. The COVID pandemic further changed the world through the rapid expansion of remote work. People were no longer going into the office. They were waking up and logging onto their computer to join their meetings. There are pros and cons for a more digital and remote world but there is a big difference between a virtual meeting and sitting around a table all in the same room. The human connection is lost when it is only held in the virtual domain.

Conversing online is much easier. There is less anxiety about first introductions. You can leave the application if you no longer want to talk. You can also pose as an anonymous person if you please. You can form virtual relationships by typing what you want to say. All of these practices are the opposite of what a new in-person relationship looks like. In person, you wonder what to say, you are worried about what the first conversation will be like. It is rude to walk away in the middle of a conversation, there is no escape if things are going poorly. You cannot be anonymous when people see your face, body, and hear your voice. In-person connections require you to be present in the moment and take a chance. You are taking a chance by putting yourself out there to connect with someone else.

New in-person connections are not easy. They are scary. But if you try them, you will realize the human experience. We are meant to be social beings. Connecting with others is how we realize this feeling. I joined an in-person club for the first time recently. Living in a new city I intentionally joined to meet new people. If an outsider saw the five of us sitting around the table they would have had no idea what we were doing together. The group was diverse and different but that was where the fun began. We all initially came because we were excited to meet people interested in the same subject matter as we were. 3 hours later, we had moved from strangers to friends. We moved from the awkward and basic relationship to already planning new meetups.

Connecting with others is a powerful experience but it takes a commitment to being uncomfortable at the start while trusting it will get better as the walls come down. Commit to meeting others. Commit to forming new relationships. Commit to living the human experience.