Hiding Behind our Computer AND our Masks
I have close people in my life who will often Facetime me to show me something or to simply have a face-to-face conversation. It’s a great way to close the distance between us. But I’ll be honest with you — it often catches me off-guard because I’m still in my gown and robe and my hair and make-up aren’t up to up-close-and-personal interactions. As a matter of fact – I wouldn’t want you to see me right now! Yikes! Often, I want to decline the calls for those reasons. What I like most about our phones, the internet and email is that we DON”T see each other. We can hide behind our electronics without concern for how we look.
We know most people only by their names, so we don’t really know them at all. I am meeting new people here in my new community every day. They offer their name and then I find out something about them that will stand out. Like Sandy who has a beautiful Labra-Doodle dog named Magellan and Ed & Marlene who just moved in a couple of days ago. Ed was perched on their patio while his wife and daughter were unloading their kitchen stuff. I was on my patio. Then there’s Marianne who has a cute dog and a Rockstar baseball player grandson like I do. She and I compare the results of our boys’ games. We have something in common.
Thursday nights here are “Happy Hour” and all kinds of drinks and snacks are served. I had just returned from a trip to the store when I received a call from the assistant manager: “Donna, aren’t you coming to Happy Hour?” I said: “No. I just made it home from the store and have unpacking to do.” He replied: “Donna, you need to come so I can introduce you to everyone. They’re starting to form “clicks” so you need to see which “click” you want to be in!” LOL! Sounds like high school, doesn’t it? So, I went and rather than him needing to introduce me, I went to each table and introduced myself and had some great encounters with real face-to-face people. I found out there are some kind, caring and interesting folks that will soon become dear friends to me. I will remember those people because I had and will have face-to-face encounters with them. At the end of the get-together, I quickly raced back to my place and jotted down info about those I met so I would remember them.
Honestly, it’s time to step out of the “unseen” and be seen. If we really were like God – we would love and care for our “neighbors” – not based on whether we saw them and sized them up based on their outward appearance, but on their hearts. God’s love is the same for all people regardless of race, gender, or stature. “I do not look at your outward appearance or worldly achievements, I only see your spirit and your heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7) “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)
So, I’ve made a personal commitment! I won’t be a hermit. I will not stay behind closed doors. I plan on loving myself so much that I get out and about so some of the Jesus in me rubs off on others. When I do that, I’m “loving my neighbor as I love myself.” (Matthew 22:39) Maybe it’s time to live those words.