Part of the new vision of The Tentacle is to help reclaim and restore our connectedness to each other. To rebuild the ties that bind us as families, friends and neighbors; and to understand why those ties are important. We focus so much on the bigger picture, we have forgotten how important each piece, each tiny detail is crucial to the health, acceptance and understanding of the whole.
Technology has so many benefits, but the one thing it has done to harm civil, connected society is kept us at arms-length. It is successfully disconnecting us from our humanness. Why are we here if not to experience what being “human” is? I doubt its living life through virtual reality when the physical reality around us is so wonder-filled. Would you rather look at an image of a sunflower or touch, see and smell a real one?
Google is great for discovering in mere seconds who the 31st president of the United States was (Herbert Hoover) but it can’t help you discover who your Dad’s favorite crooner was or Aunt Sally’s first crush; why your youngest child all of a sudden has an interest in Cicadas or why Grandma cooks Sauerbraten every winter when the weekly temperatures stay below freezing.
What creates those big grins on your friends’ faces when they sees flip flops or puppies? Why is the smell of chocolate chips or French bread cooking so emotionally charged?
I have a small groups of friends who like to have brunch at least once a month so we can connect. Sure we talk on the phone or on Facebook, but nothing beats sitting around a table together after time apart. We unburden our sorrows and share our joys while sipping sweet tea (with lots and lots of lemon). We not only share our current frustrations but our joys. We “feel” in these moments, we are not alone in this world.
To be honest, we ladies (occasionally a gent) are all of a certain age so we get the importance of physical gatherings and the communal sharing of life experiences.
Science shows that sitting down to dinner together, builds relationships that bind. It creates memories, helps release daily stress, teaches good eating habits, forms tools of communication, helps understand body language and a host of other beneficial things civilization is losing at a rapid pace. Yes, sitting down together for meals is a lynchpin of keeping civil societies, civil.
Beginning Saturday, March 7, 2020 The Tentacle will be posting every Saturday and hopefully for years to come, a recipe for you to try. We hope you will share it with your family and friends. Whatever day works best for you, set it aside and reclaim the “family” dinner. Rejoice in the company of your loved ones. Put down your phones, turn off your devices and “share” a meal and life experiences with those you love.
Later, when you have time, share with us on Facebook your recipes and experiences. Let’s restore our connectedness.
