This week I sent a letter to
India, got an email update from China, read a blog post from a friend in
Vancouver, got a call from my best friend in California, caught up with my cousin in Minnesota, heard from family back in Texas, missed out on my family's gathering in Nebraska, chatted with a friend on Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles, facebooked friends in Dallas, and hung out with campers from West Virginia to Louisiana to Florida while being here in North Carolina.
The world in which we live is
increasingly globalized. In many ways the globe has shrunk, but in other ways
our perspectives have exploded to unprecedented breadth. We now have the
opportunity to see into every country on the earth and make friends there. Personally,
I struggle to keep it all in mind.
I’ve been to a few other
countries and have friends in a few more. In U.S. cities I’ve volunteered in a
soup kitchen and worked in an upscale restaurant. Rich and poor, old and young,
African, Asian, Australian, American and European. We live in an extremely
diverse world, and these days you have the opportunity to experience much of
it. My white, middle-class, suburban bubble was burst a long time ago.
If you limit your view of
the world, that’s okay. Not everyone needs to think of the whole picture, but I
find a broad perspective to be extremely helpful for keeping me well-rounded in
thought and habit. Understanding how other cultures use resources, maintain
relationships and have fun helps me to find a better way to live myself. And
keeping in touch with other parts of the world lets us know how to pray for
them.
For those of us who have
connections around the globe, seeking to maintain long-distance relationships can
be overwhelming. But even if your friends and family are scattered around the
planet, you don’t have to be unraveled trying to stay mindful of them.
Here are three tips I’ve found
helpful for staying sane while being mindful of the world:
1. Stay grounded in the Word. Nothing in
my life brings me back to truth like reading the Bible every day. The Book is
the one most consistent element of my day—besides being a habit, the truths
contained in it keep me focused. If I didn’t read the Bible and have others to
help me interpret it, I’d be a floundering mess of thoughts despairing of life
itself. I’m grateful that we have the Word of God in hard copy, and I love
reading it!
2.
Pick a
point person from each location you love. You don’t have to keep up with
everyone. Don’t try to. But if you want to stay connected to a place you’ve
been, be sure you communicate regularly with at least one person from there.
For me, this means emailing, facebooking, calling and skyping friends in a
number of different locations periodically. I also like to travel to visit them
in person, which is far better by far.
3. Be present where you are. If you cannot
enjoy where your body is physically present, you will go insane. Take pleasure
in what surrounds you. Soak up a good conversation in a coffee shop or go for a
run to mentally photography the landscape around you. If you’re a traveler like
me, use social media to keep up with friends, but remember that there’s no time
like the present for being with those closest to you in person.
Relax. Life’s tough and we’re all
learning how to best live it, but we can still enjoy being in all seasons.
Relationships deepen and fade, but the Word of our Lord stands forever. "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way" (2 Thessalonians 3:16).
