Human connections

Last week, over at Dark Central Station, I wrote a post about how social networking had become so much more social than I had ever expected. I was honestly surprised at how well I had come to know my virtual followers and friends, and at how connected I felt to them. This was driven home to me in a major way the other day when a writer acquaintance I’d made suffered the most devastating trauma imaginable…the loss of a child.

Almost instantly, I saw the virtual world come together for Paul and his wife, Jen, in a way that left me in awe. The outpouring of love and support reminded me of that very basic human connection we all share, one that transcends miles, time, and death itself, whether we’ve met face to face or not. A connection that compels us to reach out when we see another human in pain…and one that demands that we recognize another life lived, no matter how short.

A new soul entered our world at 9:22 a.m. on July 11, 2011. He was named Conor William Henry Shortt. He left again at 6:00 p.m. on July 14th. His father posted a tribute to him here.