It’s Time Not Connect

You’re there,

• 30 seconds of time between “things” and you pull out your phone.

• sitting in the car and you pull out your phone.

• sitting at the table with other people in the house, you pull out your phone.

• kids doing something and you pull out your phone.

• outside in the sun, you pull out your phone.

• at lunch, sitting with a great meal that was made with love, you pull out your phone.

When is it too much? When do you realize you’re not “there”… What’s wrong with being “there” anyway? When did we become a society of humans that couldn’t just be. Let alone be present?

When did we become a society of humans that had an inability to just watch their kids at the playground?

When did we become a society of humans that couldn’t sit at a meal and enjoy a meal or enjoy the company?

People used to share stories with each other, smiling, laughing, crying. Now they share stories with “strangers” on social media before thinking that they could actually talk to someone else in the room, in the car, in the restaurant, or the park.

I can imagine a couple parents sitting on a park bench as their children play, watching each others kids as they talk, vent, sharing parenting tips. Now though, those parents aren’t watching the children, not even their own, aren’t talking with other parents, aren’t listing to the birds all around the park. They’re staring at the phones. Watching stories of “strangers” instead of watching the story of their lives unfold right in front of them…

When do we realize that the only way to reconnect would be to disconnect?

When do we realize that most of those “friends” we have aren’t friends at all. They’re just acquaintances. And heck, they’re probably not even that.

1. Friend: A friend is someone with whom you share a deeper bond, trust, and mutual care. Friendship often involves spending more time together, engaging in meaningful conversations, and providing emotional support. Friends typically know more personal details about each other's lives, and there's a sense of mutual loyalty and understanding.

2. Acquaintance: An acquaintance is someone you know, but the relationship remains more superficial. You may interact with them casually or in specific contexts (like work, social events, or through mutual friends), but you don't have a deep emotional connection. With acquaintances, interactions tend to be less personal, and you might not rely on them for emotional support or share intimate details.

I’m not saying you can’t bond some sort of “ship” - friendship, relationship, “acquaintanceship” with a new follower. How many of them would drop everything, grab a shovel, and come help you without question? How many of them do you believe are the same kind of friend to you as you are to them? Can you even be sure when really, at the push of a button you can be blocked and ghosted and never talked to again? It’s extreme I know, but it’s very possible.

When do we realize so much of what is posted online takes us to new places, to more division, to fake realities.

Im not sure when, I do know that it’s a problem, and most of us simply aren’t living our own stories anymore… That’s kind of sad isn’t it?

Are we beyond the point of coming back to real connections? Is this like global warming but instead hearts and souls going cold.

My challenge to you, put down your phone. Even if just for one event today. Leave your phone behind or zip it into a bag and just be where you are. And if there’s a break in that action, be in that break. Talk to a stranger. Look at the world around you. It’s a beautiful thing we have, life… And it’s okay to sit in quiet and just be….

The Impossible Tower: A Tale of Three Raccoon Friends

“even the most unlikely things can endure, if built with care, patience, and a little bit of magic.”

In the heart of the Whispering Woods lived three raccoon friends: Rocco, Patch, and Sprout. They were an inseparable trio, known for their curious minds and playful spirit. One late summer afternoon, as the sun filtered through the trees and cast long shadows on the forest floor, the three friends decided to embark on a peculiar project.

"I bet we could build the tallest tower of rocks anyone's ever seen," said Rocco, his eyes gleaming with excitement. He had always been the adventurous one, eager to try things that seemed impossible.

Patch, the practical one, scratched his head. "A tower, huh? Rocks aren’t exactly easy to stack, you know. It’s all about balance, and I’m not sure rocks are the best at that."

Sprout, the smallest and youngest of the group, smiled shyly. "Well, maybe it doesn't have to be tall to be impressive. It just needs to be special."

Rocco nodded, his tail swishing eagerly. "Special it is! Let's make it something no one thinks could stand, but does!"

With a shared goal, the raccoons scurried about, gathering stones from the edge of a nearby creek. They found stones of all sizes and shapes: smooth river pebbles, large flat slabs, and even jagged pieces of granite. As they began their project, it quickly became clear that building a tower was much harder than they had imagined.

Every time they stacked a few rocks, the structure wobbled and collapsed. Yet, they didn’t give up. Rocco insisted they experiment with different placements, Patch studied how the rocks leaned into each other, and Sprout, with his tiny paws, wedged the smallest stones into cracks, creating unlikely bridges between the larger ones.

After hours of trial and error, something extraordinary began to take shape. The rocks didn’t form a straight tower, but they curved and twisted in odd, seemingly impossible ways. One rock balanced precariously on the tip of another, and a heavy slab sat at an angle that shouldn’t have supported it, but somehow did.

“Look at it!” Rocco exclaimed, stepping back to admire their creation. "It’s standing, and it shouldn't be!"

Patch tilted his head, eyes wide in disbelief. "I don’t know how it's possible, but it works. We’ve made the impossible stand tall."

Sprout beamed proudly. “It's more than tall—it’s magical.”

As evening approached, dark clouds began to gather on the horizon. A storm was coming.

"We should head back to the burrow," Patch said, eyeing the sky. "That storm looks nasty."

Sprout looked worriedly at the tower. "Do you think it'll fall over in the storm?"

Rocco, ever the optimist, puffed out his chest. "Nah, our tower’s stronger than it looks. Let’s wait and see."

Night fell, and the storm rolled in with a fury. The wind howled, lightning split the sky, and rain poured down in torrents. The raccoons huddled in their burrow, peeking out nervously at their creation.

To their amazement, the tower didn’t just stay standing—it seemed to defy the storm’s power. The wind whistled through the cracks between the rocks, but the tower held firm. What seemed like a fragile and impossible structure was, in fact, perfectly balanced.

As the storm raged, animals from all around the forest sought shelter. A family of squirrels darted through the trees and found refuge under the large, flat stone near the base of the tower. A pair of rabbits huddled in the small nooks created by the twisted rocks. Even a passing fox curled up in the shadow of the tower, protected from the elements.

The raccoons watched in awe. Their tower, which they had feared would fall, was providing shelter to their forest friends.

"Would you look at that," Patch whispered. "It’s not just a tower—it’s a haven."

When the storm finally passed, the animals emerged from their makeshift shelters and looked up at the towering structure in gratitude. Rocco, Patch, and Sprout stepped out of their burrow, blinking at the morning sun.

"We did it," Rocco said softly. "Our tower didn’t just survive—it helped."

Sprout grinned. "And all because we made something no one thought could stand."

From that day on, the impossible tower became a symbol of resilience in the Whispering Woods. It stood as a reminder to all the creatures who passed by that even the most unlikely things can endure, if built with care, patience, and a little bit of magic.

And as for Rocco, Patch, and Sprout? They continued their adventures, knowing that together, they could make the impossible happen.

All this because of some simple rock stacks in art…

Be Well,

Tim