The island no one wants to leave

I just came back from a holiday in Crete with my family. Inspired by that beautiful Island, I have to say, the most important thing about it is the feeling of people being connected to each other. Even the tourists, like me, don’t want to leave that place.

Create is an Island, but the people on it, are not. They also do not leave Crete. They love it and stay there for life. This is quite amazing. In this day and age, you may be connected to many people on social media, but in reality, people feel increasingly isolated, especially since the pandemic. This isolated feeling also seems final, as if that’s the way it is, and the rest of our lives will be the same.

Where this idiom comes from

The words ‘No man is an island’ were part of a sermon given in 1642  by the Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral John Donne, a clergyman, and poet, regarded as one of the greatest English poets. It spoke about how human beings are connected and how important that connection is for our wellbeing and survival.

A few thoughts about islands, isolation, and the life we choose to live

1. Are we really isolated, or is it the way we feel because of the Pandemic? 

2. What’s wrong with some isolation now and then?

3. Can you see that “this too shall pass,” as the old story tells us?

4. Can you make a point of this isolation being temporary?

5. Does it have its advantages? Can you see them? Can isolation be a choice you make and then break if and when you want?

6. Concerning the pandemic, is there a way to focus on solidarity and attention to each other, despite or maybe because of dire circumstances?

7. What are the ways by which you cultivate your connectedness to others?

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.