Created for Each Other
The Importance of Healthy Relationships and Supportive Community
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there was another pandemic on the rise—one of loneliness.
Even before the coronavirus, loneliness was already considered a “major public health risk,” according to U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy. Given this unfortunate reality that continues to plague not just America (as noted by Harvard’s Graduate School of Education) but the world, it’s said that approximately half of American adults experienced loneliness even before the outbreak. The pandemic simply exacerbated what was already there.
Often, in hurt and pain, isolation feels easier. We isolate to wallow in our pain or to distract ourselves from realities we’d rather not face. Yet when I think of emotions, I think of a sponge. A sponge fills with soap and water—but one day, it becomes saturated, and someone has to squeeze it.
We may think we’re managing our emotions by naming them, yet we often cast them aside as if they have no influence on our daily lives. Still, that inner sponge keeps absorbing until one day, it can’t hold any more—and everything we’ve been carrying begins to pour out.
I bring this up because isolation is a close companion of loneliness. Do not be mistaken—solitude is necessary; we don’t want to grow overly dependent on others. But there’s deep importance in gathering with those who support, advise, and journey with us through life’s joys and unexpected turns.
Creating spaces of grace—for ourselves and for those we commune with—is essential. We will fail, and others will fail us, too. Yet what makes a bond last is first love: a shared commitment to the vision of what both parties desire. This isn’t reserved only for romance; it’s just as true in friendship, community, and group relationships.
So I ask: Do you have a community? Who pours into you? Who do you pour into?
A healthy community is a space where growth can happen—because the communities we inhabit often act as rooms of mirrors. Not only do we share similar growing edges, but in authentic connection, both flowers and weeds emerge. Beauty and imperfection coexist. Growth happens only when we can name both—the beauty and the pain. Growth happens when we communicate, no matter how big or small the issue seems.
It can be discouraging to experience the thorns that arise in relationships, but communicating our needs in a way that acknowledges our own feelings while also considering the well-being and growth of others offers hope for healthier relationships over time. The greatest aspect of all is commitment—commitment to the relationship, to growth, and to selfless love.
Remember: though our sponge may not be full yet, it will be one day. Wouldn’t you rather learn to recognize when it’s time to squeeze?
A sponge can help wash dishes—but it can also create a slippery floor. Which reality will you choose?
Source: Ross, E. M. (2024, October 25). What is causing our epidemic of loneliness and how can we fix it? Usable Knowledge, Harvard Graduate School of Education. https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-knowledge/24/10/what-causing-our-epidemic-loneliness-and-how-can-we-fix-it
