hearing from you, Ashley, how we have been in your thoughts recently too makes me realize how many layers of connection, community and care are active, often in ways we are not aware of.
Isn’t this such a delight and powerful reminder. Christy Lee-Engel and I were talking this morning about the unique phenomena of online communities and how there is a built in component of connection and attention that often is unknown, but holds a potent space. We were speaking about forums and people that are generally called ‘lurkers’ (though we don’t like that word). These people are engaging with the material, perhaps even sharing it forward with connections in their life, but aren’t necessarily active participants in a forum. Their involvement is powerful and often invisible. In a face to face community you see them paying attention, you can tell they are involved. In an online setting this often goes unnoticed.
I find the same to be true with connections and relations. I know that for myself, I am constantly connecting with, relating to, and even engaging people in my life who are not present in my physical space. As you say, the layers of connection, community and care are active whether they are explicitly being communicated or not.
And then, of course, a wave of electric delight or effervescent bubbles rising and making a fizz, have the opportunity to run through our systems when connection, community, and care are acknowledged and we feel the essential embrace of intimacy, belonging, and acceptance.