Our world relies so heavily on being connected: phones, computers, mobile devices... And since COVID, internet speed and stable video connections have become critical for team meetings, online classes, church services... and Happy Hours with friends!
Recently, a friend and I were having an online meeting when one or both of our images would freeze and the audio would become garbled or would go out entirely.
At first we weren't sure if it was an individual router, if it was system-wide, if it was the video conferencing service... The list of what could be the problem and how to troubleshoot seemed endless!
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| How do you know when communication is frozen? (Photo credit: Top Icy Faces from Canada's Winter Running Scene, Running Magazine) |
But, what was the most frustrating: after we corrected the issue the first time, we assumed we had a good connection and continued with the meeting.... then it would happen again. We would troubleshoot, fix the problem, assume we had a good connection and continue with the meeting! After the third or fourth repetition, we stopped and talked through other options.
Reflecting on our situation, we noticed that neither of us said anything early on. We would become distracted, trying to fix the problem on our side. We did not immediately tell the other person what was happening. In fact, on my part I even tried to piece together the part of the conversation I heard... and started filling in the blanks of what I did not hear!
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| Do you ever wonder what is below the surface? (Photo credit: The Largest Icebergs in History, The Active Times) |
It wasn't until one of us shared that our connection was freezing and we had missed whole parts of the Story Told, that the Story Untold was revealed: the issue wasn't individual but was shared.
I wonder: how often, when we encounter a problem, do we immediately describe what we are experiencing? Or do we try to solve the problem individually? |
| Is it time to unfreeze any relationships? |
In Moments of Vulnerability we begin to realize our need to:
- Share what we are seeing or what is happening individually.
- Recognize that more may be happening below the surface.
- Acknowledge that a broader solution may be needed to reconnect.
Just think: if we choose to sit individually with a problem... we just might become cold, wet, and frozen... together!
As winter weather settles in, may we learn to connect by warming up our relationships -- inviting people in, sharing food and drink, and allowing vulnerability to reconnect us!
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| Larry Gardepie (click on link for website) |
Once againLarry thank you. I try not to miss any part of a story. But I wonder if I do when my mind wanders regardless of the internet connection.
ReplyDeleteOnce againLarry thank you. I try not to miss any part of a story. But I wonder if I do when my mind wanders regardless of the internet connection.
ReplyDeleteKim, Like you, my mind wanders... thinking of the "next best thing to say" or how your story connects with mine. sometimes, I am invited to listen!
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