“Everyone is walking on the edge of life
Like the ghosts of a shadow, barely alive
Even time’s in a rush
But it’s going nowhere
Everyone’s connected but no one is connecting
The human element has long been missing
Tell me, have you seen it?
Have you seen it?
Or are we alone?
I need something to believe in
Tell me, are we alone?
Where is the love? Where is the feeling?”
These are the lyrics of the song 'Alone' by the great EDM (Electronic Dance Music) DJ Armin Van Buuren with Lauren Evans. Every time I listen to this song, it evokes a mixed feeling of joy and sadness.
Joy because of her beautiful voice and the reminder to connect. And sadness because of the accuracy of the message. We are more connected than ever thanks to amazing technology, apps, social media, the internet. And paradoxically, many people feel alone. Many people make less effort to truly and genuinely connect with each other. The same interconnectedness of opinions creates more polarization.
I remember my days serving people at a Tex-Mex restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee. Most Sundays, large family parties went to have lunch there. And it was very common to have children and teenagers, sitting at the table next to everyone, with headphones! Glued to the screen. Completely oblivious to the people around them. Completely uninterested in making eye contact, let alone having meaningful conversations with their families. It was sad to see.
The Yogis teach that we all share a universal essence. That we are manifestations of something greater, and that all of us are evolving, each at our own pace. That we all belong to the same race. The human race. That we should love all living beings.
It teaches the Oneness of All. It teaches that you must discard the sense of separateness and connect with everyone around you, regardless of their appearance and beliefs. It teaches you to be unconditionally kind. It teaches to extend a loving and helping hand to anyone who needs it.
It was Yogi Ramacharaka who wrote that a yogi,
“Sees, and feels, that all the world is alive and full of intelligence in varying degrees of manifestation. Feels himself a part of that great life. Feels his identity with all of Life. Feels in touch with all of nature— in all its forms.”
And although not everyone forgets to connect with their families, their friends, or even total strangers, it is more common than it should be.
Keep this thought present at all times to remind yourself that the world is made better by love. By smiling at each other. By being genuinely interested in what others have to say. By being open to their perspectives, even if you disagree with them. It is only through love, connection, and kindness that we can alleviate the world of loneliness, of the sense of separateness between races, between religions, and of the continuous conflicts around the world.
Spread love wherever you go. The world needs it.
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