There is so much in our world that separates and distracts us.

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Everything from social media to the news.

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It can be hard to find common ground.

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Something that we can agree upon.

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Or even something we can just talk about without getting upset.

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We can have a hard time to even just be present to the person who is with us.

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To give them our full attention.

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As our phones buzz us with a message from someone else far away.

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It can be easy to make the person who is not in the room with us more important than the person standing right in front of us.

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So we disconnect with what we already have, for something we hope to have.

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Maybe it is that the person who is with us makes us feel uncomfortable in some way.

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And because of that we would rather try to connect with someone who is not here.

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The distraction can give us some needed space.

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Or it can just be a way to avoid what we do not want to deal with.

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Either way we get disconnected to the present moment.

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We feel disconnected to the person who is with us.

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Using our devices to replace that connection with a facsimile of connection.

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Yet that is not real connection.

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It is possible to feel more connected with someone who is miles away or on the other side of the world.

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Without the physical proximity thought, we still feel disconnected and alienated.

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Which gives us one more reason to separate from the world around us.

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Real connection only happens when we have an experience of another person in the physical world.

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To hold and be held.

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Or to laugh and cry together.

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And experience human touch, comfort, and caring.

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That only happens when we are with the person we care about and who cares about us.

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The connection in the physical world is about so much more than a physical relationship.

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True presence creates that kind of connection.

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It nourishes our soul and feeds our heart.

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So is it any wonder why so much of this world feels disconnected and lone?

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How much time and effort to put towards being present to the people who surround us?

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There is no substitute.

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It may not always be pleasant to truly be with what is happening right in front of us.

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Yet presence is the only antidote for disconnection.

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And the miracle that might happen is that as we are present to the uncomfortable and unwanted situations, we may find a deeper connection.

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Far deeper than any virtual or long distance connection.

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So are you truly giving your full presence to those around you?

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Do you use something virtual to disconnect from an unpleasant moment?

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~ Sam Liebowitz, The Conscious Consultant

Host of The Conscious Consultant Hour