Connecting Is The Bee’s Knees

I’ve been reminded lately how important it is to be and stay connected with people from all areas of my life.

A few weeks ago I went to “The Gathering”. Sounds like an ancient druid meet up hey, but no. Every two years people who are interested in traditional basketry come together to share techniques and experiences. I’m one of those people, and I was speaking at the event.

Connecting through shared interest
What was so lovely was that it reminded me how wonderful it is to be in a room full of people who love what you love. (Not often do I sit at a table where the conversation goes something like, “Wow, banana fibre is so great to weave with!”)

More importantly, most of those people I had only seen on social media in the past two years but we had stayed connected through Instagram and Facebook . So when we saw each other again it felt like a continuation of a conversation we had been having for years.

There were some people I hadn’t even met before, but they follow my art on Insta, so felt they knew me and it helped to quickly establish a deeper connection.

Honey and lemon
I came back from “The Gathering” with laryngitis and an ear infection (yep, couldn’t speak or hear very well) and posted a photo on Facebook complaining I was sick. A lovely woman who I’m connected to on Facebook and  have only met a few times at business events, messaged me to offer to bring me over honey and lemon. So lovely.

Saying yes to media
Luckily it only took a few days to get my voice back, and a journalist who I’m connected to on Facebook and never chatted to before, contacted me to do a last minute interview. Which of course I said yes to, because that’s how you deepen connections with journalists.

So while many people believe that social media is disconnecting and anti-social, I think the opposite. For me the combination of social media and real life experiences deepens connections with so many extraordinary people which I’m so thankful I have in my life.