“ It’s a much better world that goes with it where people are aware of each other as people. Everything will be different. And it is getting different.” ㅡ Eugene Gendlin
As we know our society changes every decade, every century, even revolutionary changes happened. Agriculture Revolution happened around 12000 A.D. The Industrial Revolution was starting from 1760. More recent Internet-based environment slip into our lives by composed of small segments.
During COVID-19 situation, this makes us change more rapidly. From social media to heavily rely on the internet to teach, study and work. Social distancing creates a large gap between people. Perhaps some of our ordinaries became no longer the same.
We distance more to create a kind of safety for health. How can we still keep together with our loved one? And have the safety of love and relationship? To look for the answer, I remember words from Dr Eugene Gendlin ( The First Focusing Institute Summer School, 2006). He told us about “THE TOWN” and Human Attention. As we developed from an agricultural society to an industrial phrase. He saw “the man went to work at the factory, the kid went to school, the woman went to see her friends. The people that man met in the factory were not the parents of the kids that went to school with the kid and they were not related to the friends that the woman had in the town.”
Seems we rapidly change our relationships from that kind to a new form now. We back to stay at home. The difference is we connect through the internet. How can we be adopted in the new form of society? Working through web-based tools, reducing hang out with our friends and trapping in our home?
Further, Gendlin said “ It’s a much better world that goes with it where people are aware of each other as people. Everything will be different. And it is getting different.” The ANSWER is aware of the people around you. Listen to what they say. Internet-based communications, even make us closer if we can make use of it. I have friends and teachers from another part of the world. However, we chat, and we meet online to stay connected.
Listening would be a great action if you try to use in recent situations. If we don’t offer solutions and don’t advise others to do something else. Just have a quality moment when our world has a pause. The pause is happening now. Your routine changes. Maybe this is the moment to get connected to your old friends seldom chat for months. You can listen to them with a nod. Just hear their recent lives. Without judgement, advice and fixing their problems. Try to have deep listening with a friendly attitude towards how are they. Also, be friendly to yourself, you also need time to pause from the busy schedule. Take time to chat and treasure your loved one.
Author: Camille Li ( camille@focusingcorner.com / FocusingCorner.com )
Reference
“THE TOWN” AND HUMAN ATTENTION
By Eugene T. Gendlin Ph.D Talk given at the first Focusing Institute Summer School, August 25, 2006
Transcribed from DVD by Nada Lou
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