Those who know my writing know that I am always looking to understand the world through nature and the stories that the natural world can tell us about ourselves. I live in an area that has been devastated a couple of times by strong winds. There have been two occasions when a strong windstorm has come through in the night and the morning has shown trees uprooted and broken, falling across streets and sometimes on homes. The forests seem to have less of these and it seems that there is safety for trees in numbers. Trees that stand together can form somewhat of a windbreak that prevent them from bending and breaking. Trees are often more uprooted than broken when the wind pulls them up from the ground and trees in a forest together do not allow the wind to get up under them. There are also factors that impact individual trees, such as previous injury or damage. But overall it seems that trees in a forest stand a better chance of survival in a storm than trees that stand alone.
Psychologists know that one of the most protective factors a person can have in times of stress is community. We need one another to survive. We need one another for support and we need one another to know that we are not alone in the storm. Our country is currently going through a lockdown where people are isolated and some are completely alone in their homes. Many people can't go to work or to any of the activities or groups they went to for friendship and support. But thankfully, we have ways of connecting with each other that does not require that we must physically close
Many churches groups and organizations are finding ways to meet online. Most families can connect via online platforms and many therapists have ways of connecting to their clients online (myself included) Don't stand alone in the storm. We always say find your tribe. I say find your forest and band together with them. Together you protect each other by being present and available to each other. Together you buffer the wind.