By Taylor Barrett

It’s a weird time to be alive, no doubt, looking back on my travels and forward to the trips that may just have to wait. But at the same time, it has been somewhat of a forced reminder that we shouldn’t always be in “go mode”. In fact, I find it unfortunate that it takes a catastrophic event to get us to realize as a society that hey, you can stop and look around, you can stay home for no good reason, and it’s okay to take it down a notch and smile at a passing stranger when you’re out and about. It’s good to remember that this is about us, not just ourselves.

In a way it feels like mother nature has swept in and put a halt to the incredible machine that we have turned our society into. When visiting cities, it almost feels like the level of energy in the atmosphere is unstoppable, but that is anything but true. What seems like a fragmented system of disconnected parts is actually much more interdependent than you’d think, with everyone’s social position contributing to the well-being of the whole. This has proved to be an eye-opener for many, and it shows how important each and every one of us is for this world. Even if you don’t have the job you want, the car you wish you could afford, or a house you own instead of rent, we must realize that we all play an important role and that we have each other to depend on–which is what will make us stronger in the end.