From Isolation to Connection

Some of the village ladies of Tranquebar who have captured my heart.

And I know the tendency is to shut down and withdraw until we feel better and can put a brave face on it to those around us.  Sometime even those we love and those who love us have no idea what is going on for us inside as we can be such pros at keeping it all ‘under control’.

I am saddened by the fact that the country of New Zealand that I now call home, arguable one of the most beautiful countries in the world, has paradoxically one of the highest rates of suicide by young people in the world, not to mention its struggles with alcohol and drug abuse, high levels of child abuse and marginalisation of its indigenous people.

I am saddened by the amount of disconnection and loneliness faced by people in our so-called developed world.

Let us compare..

“members of traditional societies like the Kaluli of Papua New Guinea – among whom social support is abundant, and depression virtually unknown – benefit from social ties that span multiple levels of closeness: from the deep intimacy of immediate family and friends to the comforting familiarity of extended family to the profound sense of belonging provided by membership in the clan itself (a hundred or so people linked by a shared identity and a common destiny)”*

Wow I think I was really born into the wrong society! I have longed for this sense of connection all my life.. has anyone else?

Compared to the industrialized world in which we now live “such fortunate individuals are now the exception”* and we face unprecedented levels of social exclusion and material and looks obsession.

What has happened to our basic love and respect for one another I wonder? That we and our relationships with each other  are in fact the most precious thing in life more important than money, work, achievements or whatever else. Is it possible that we have left something behind in our constant striving for success?

The sense of kinship and connection I have found in India is what has kept me there so long and keeps calling me back.  The love and kindness I have received from ‘simple’ village men and women as well as new friends and colleagues that work on another premise has fed my heart and soul. My soft spot for women in developing countries is not so much because there is a problem that needs to be fixed but because I know the level of love and contribution these women give and are generally not acknowledged for.  And it is because I have received so much love and joy from them that it is the least I can do to give back in some way.

I would like to end on this note which really resonates for me –  “All of us are born to connect, hardwired to live in the company of those who know and love us… it makes sense to swim hard against against the tide of our “culture of isolation” and to place our relationships at the very top of the priority list. Truly, nothing in life matters more.”*

Thank you ladies for sharing your love and beauty with me and making me feel so special.  I feel your struggles and hardship and am humbled by your determination and hard work and how much you invest in your children and families.

And I give thanks to all the people out there who are working tirelessly to be of service and to make a difference in the world. You are truly amazing!

In love and gratitude

Katherine

Pathway to Potential is a registered charity supporting underpriveledged women in developing countries to reach their full potential through cooperative enterprise. Currently working in Tamil Nadu, south east India and now beginning to work in Thailand and other parts of Asia, Pathway to Potential sincerely hopes and dreams that this work and model can be shared and replicated around the world.

If you want to know more you can reach Katherine at info@pathwaytopotential.org

*Quotes taken from The Depression Cure Stephen S Ilardi PHD