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Bowling alone?
For a few years now, I have been praying in response to reports of deepening divisions and isolation among people. A book titled Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert D. Putnam (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2000) has provided some useful insights that suggest specific issues that I can address through prayer.
Putnam notes a drop in participation in traditional social and civic activities, which has led to feelings of isolation, loneliness, and disconnectedness from family, friends, and neighbors. He writes that, by contrast, regular engagement with others builds “social capital.” This term refers to a network of relationships and resources within a community that diminishes loneliness and aids in connectedness, trustworthiness, and mutually respectful relationships.
I’ve found that isolation and diminishing social capital can be addressed effectively through prayer—through growing closer to God and gaining a better understanding of Him as our Father-Mother and of our identity as the expression of His nature as infinite good. Praying to be more aware of the goodness of God in our everyday experiences and as expressed by others is a good way to start. We see God’s goodness reflected in spiritual qualities such as compassion, patience, and forgiveness, which support the brotherhood and sisterhood of mankind. They make it easier to achieve and maintain a spiritual sense of community.
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