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Every night, Ian the Lion would prowl in a field where four oxen lived. He often tried to attack them, but when Ian came around, the oxen would turn their tails to one another so that whichever way he approached he was met by the horns of one of them.
One night the oxen started quarreling amongst themselves. Sulking, they each went off to a separate corner of the field to pasture alone.
Ian the Lion finally saw his opportunity. He attacked them one by one and killed all four.
The moral of this Aesop’s* Fable is: United we stand, divided we fall.
In this new order of self-isolation or social distancing, we need to find ways to connect – to come together. Human connection is a basic need. In the Hierarchy of Needs, Abraham Maslow taught us that as social beings, family, friendships and intimate connections get us through the “ups and downs” of life.
Studies have shown that the healthiest, happiest people tend to be more involved in their communities. Lack of interactions, human relationships, and the sense of belonging may result in depression or loneliness while an abundance of love and community often sustain people through difficult times.
These are difficult times. Trying to figure out how to connect with people during this pandemic is critical. We are all in this together and by doing our part to support each other we will successfully get to the other side.
*Aesop's Fables, or the Aesopica, is a collection of fables credited to Aesop, a slave and storyteller believed to have lived in ancient Greece between 620 and 564 BCE.