On the surface, having a growing list of virtual friends seems harmless. With it being weaved into our DNA the desire to be known by others, how can more and more friends be bad? However, studies repeatedly show that a person can't keep up with more than 150 relationships simultaneously. Beyond this number, relationships grow thinner and thinner, with very few people genuinely knowing us and vice versa. With so many virtual friends comes a heavy burden to know and be known. We feel pressure to keep up with more people than is possible. And so, the average person spends countless hours each week "keeping up" with these virtual friends. All this time spent in the virtual world makes it very difficult to remain fully present in the moment. Our time gets cut shorter and shorter. And our satisfaction with the natural world becomes a distant second place to the enticement of the virtual world "out there."

So what can we do to prevent our most important relationships from becoming thin?

#1 - Face-to-Face Meeting: prioritize the people with whom you live, work, and play as you keep them in close proximity. Focus on being fully present to the people right in front of us. Create a habit of inviting someone to lunch or coffee to learn their story and share yours.

#2 - Community or Small Groups: Get involved in a local group with other people who are chasing hard after being better everyday. Study together, Serve together and each other and take small steps each time you gather to share openly about what is occurring in your life