The advent of the internet and the cellphone have ushered in an age of unprecedented connectedness. Through satellite technology, we are able to contact people on the other side of the planet within minutes. Yet our post-modern society suffers from what the US Surgeon General, Vivek Murthy, deemed in 2023 as an epidemic of loneliness. As individuals, we may boast about thousands of “friends” and followers on social media, but most of these relationships are superficial at best. How do we avoid online isolation and find deep community connection in the midst of this overwhelming technology?
Nowadays it often takes great effort and intentionality to foster personal interactions with even our closest neighbor. It’s far too easy to stay isolated with our phones and our televisions. A 2024 report by Harvard University found that 21% of adults surveyed claimed serious feelings of loneliness with participants in the 30-44 age group at the highest frequency of 29%. Surprisingly, people over 65 came in at a low of 10%. Why is this so?
Perhaps, it’s because those of us who are Baby Boomers or older weren’t raised on technology. Our phones were attached to the wall by a cord and the first television I remember was black and white with a choice of three channels. Unless there was some major news story, my parents could check on local and world events four times a day: in the early morning, at noon, six pm and eleven pm. And overnight, all you found to watch on the screen was a test pattern.
As kids we spent very little time in front of the TV or on the phone. My sister and I loved Saturday morning cartoons, but after a couple hours, Mom shooed us out the door. We knew all the neighbor kids and spent long summer days playing baseball or croquet with them in the front yard. It wasn’t uncommon for us to ride our bikes to visit friends sometimes miles away.
These were our community connections back in the day. So, it shouldn’t surprise me that those in the older generation know how to establish and maintain these same kinds of relationships today. The circumstances and location may look different, but the concept is the same. Get out of the house, away from your screens, and meet people face-to-face. And you might experience the blessing of an unexpected community connection you never anticipated.
This was exactly what I stumbled upon at our local YMCA when I joined their “Senior Fit” class last summer. I intended to start exercising regularly for my physical health. However, what I gained through the camaraderie of the group has been so much more than I ever imagined. The genuine caring and good-natured laughter of the thirty plus participants is well worth a little sweat to be a member of this amazing bunch of seniors.
We meet every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning for an hour of cardio and light weights. The class is directed by woman also in her senior years, but the workout is still challenging. She makes it quite clear we should do only what feels comfortable but always try to keep moving. Isn’t that the point?
When we stop moving, when we avoid face-to-face interactions with others, our physical and mental wellbeing plummet. I’ve seen this over and over with my patients and with my parents. Some slowing is inevitable as we age. But a sedentary lifestyle spent in solitude is a recipe for disability and premature death.
Now, I’m not one to believe my “discovery” of this community connection was serendipity. Coincidence is simply a “God Wink” I haven’t recognized yet. My recent experience at the local YMCA isn’t happenstance, but God’s gentle reminder that I’m not alone. If I’m in tune with His Spirit, I’m aware of God’s hand of guidance even in the smallest detail of my life and especially in my relationships with others.
How I live my final years is a choice. I can sit in front of a television or scroll on my phone until I wither away into isolation and loneliness. Or I can get out and find my neighbors—at church, a writer’s conference, a volunteer health clinic, and even at the YMCA. It’s a choice, my friend. Even though I’m semi-retired, God’s not done with me yet.
And God’s just getting started with you younger folks. Don’t allow loneliness to take a foothold in your life. Get out of the house, off your screens, and meet people face-to-face. Be creative. Join a group with common interests. Who knows? Perhaps, like me you’ll experience the blessing of an unexpected community connection you never anticipated.
*All photos except for the final one of me with friends at a writing conference are stock photos from Canva. None of the photos feature members of my Senior Fit class.
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