We have passed the millennium by a decade and as in George Orwell‟s book “1984”, we sit in front of our computer screens day in and day out. We blog, and update our status on Facebook and Twitter, yet has forgotten that the actual connection and encounter between humans can never be replaced by computers. On the news, we hear about suicides, rapes, stabbings, and shootings like it were just another day with foul weather.

An increasing number of people become inhibited by exhaustion, burn-outs, and other syndromes because they cease to function at the current speed in our rat race. At the same time, the resources for healthcare become more expensive and harder to find. We focus our research on technique instead of human caring.

We are to realize our fullest potential while we are supposed to vagabond around the world, make a career, get our fifteen minutes of fame and start a family. We buy larger and larger TV sets and compete in how many fund-raisers we have attended. Yet, nobody seems to have time and has forgotten the most important thing. We communicate both electronically and in real life more than ever, but how do we do it?

The letters of the alphabet can work as bullets destroying someone or something; or they can work as glue, unifying us. In this world of free access to the Internet, anyone can write anything and quickly be cited as right or wrong, as facts or as make-believe. So, who do you trust? What does it take for a source to become trustworthy? I always start with myself.

What are my own true experiences and what does my gut instinct tell me? Oprah once stated a great expression: "When in doubt, don't" which can refer both to whether something is indeed "true" or just if the timing is right for action. However, because we all use letters as bullets or glue, they can easily morph into the opposite depending on who is using them, for what reason, and what kind of value is placed on them.

I hope we all can be delivered from guns, but the war of words, how do we transform that? I try to remind myself of the following reference points, as consideration on how to perceive all kinds of communication and lessen the feeling of overwhelm due to information overload:

• Intention
• Motif
• Sender
• Receiver
• Mode/Tone
• Media
• Sources of facts
• Interpretation
• Presentation
• Assumptions
• Conclusions
• Response or first stated

Our information overload is the greatest challenge we face right now, and groups of people gather because of those words. How do we know a just cause will be carried out in the way it was intended? How do we become discerning? To me, it comes down to the very ethical foundation of human interactions, such as respect, compassion and honesty, as well as the ability to question and say no.

Many internet users seem to create aliases or simply let go of their normal behaviour, thinking they can hide behind the screen, which we all can see in the increase of bullying online as well as in the manipulation of pictures. In an even deeper sense, the use of words tells us about the beliefs we either consciously or unconsciously let rule our actions and reactions. What we desire and what we fear.

Letters can very easily become a maze, yet people interpret the online words in ways that completely lack bearing on the sender's intention since we don't see the other's facial expression, tone of voice or context. I find most of my relief and answers in silence and Mother Nature. I look to the sun and the moon, the trees and the birds, the grass and even the little flies who might come up to me buzzing to get my attention for me to open a window and let them out.

The leaves of the trees are changing their colours according to the season regardless of which names we use for the colours or the tree. We may become many to agree upon the colour green and so we make that a truth. But have we defined its meaning or is that still an assumption? I used to feel so burned out, I only could surround myself with white, no TV and no books.

It's a little bit better now, although I try to be careful and still feel a much greater need to relieve myself in writing than gathering new data. Becoming physical or being around other physical workers also helps to stay grounded. Indeed we are inside the information age, evolving into the relationship age.

But what does that mean? Will mankind destroy itself or will there finally be peace? We don‟t see each other anymore and don‟t listen. Is‟t this the greatest betrayal of all? We are all co-creators of the world we live in together, which means we can change it if we work together. This book is meant to inspire and move you to take a good look at how you treat yourselves and others.

What is your outlook on life and are you living according to these standards? How do you distinguish yourself from strangers; are they not included in your compassion? If you limit your love to the closest family members, what would happen when you get a divorce? Or what if you are gay or single? Are these people then destined to live lovelessly?

Why do we create families and on what grounds? Is it to display to others that we are happy, successful and loved; implying that our significant other should make us feel happy, or is it based on sharing the love that already exists for all? Most of us put down a fair amount of our daily energy into assuming a role of some sort, to fit into the drama of life.

This is a very important matter to me since I believe our role-playing is the cause of most of our conflicts, unwillingness to claim accountability, identity crises etc today. The role we assume for example in a professional relationship can often be replaced by a professional and compassionate disposition where we keep our persona intact and instead enhance the very humanness of who we are with proper detachment.

Excerpted from the book THE CALL FOR DIVINE MOTHERING.

This excerpt has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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