February 4 | We Heal Face to Face | Virtual Reality | Barry Rodriguez

Despite the fact that we are more “connected” than ever, we are facing chronic loneliness and isolation like never before. Perhaps this is because the “community” we have online is not real community! We are seeing one another’s curated, sanitized selves. Even those who are “authentic” online are more often than not curating and crafting even that so-called authenticity. If we want to experience healing and community, we must seek a different kind of connection with one another. Additionally, if we want to discover the truth of our world through real, genuine wisdom instead of algorithm-driven fluff, we must find that wisdom in lifelong relationships built on trust. This will mean pursuing the discomfort of actual, face-to-face relationships and opening others up to the un-sanitized brokenness of our lives, trusting they will love us as we love them. Only then can our online interactions grow out of a place of health and fruitfulness, and not out of insecurity and a need for affirmation.