Contact and connection - A Life Lesson

It was April 2016. Nasir (me) was returning from Delhi by flight with a monk , sitting next to me and a journalist from the US sitting on the third seat . The journalist started
interviewing the monk as planned earlier.

Journalist - Sir , in your programme, you told us about contact & connection. It's really confusing. Can you explain ?

The Monk smiled asked the journalist: Are you from New York?
Journalist - Yeh...
Monk - Who are there at home ?

The Journalist thought that the Monk was trying to avoid answering his question.
Yet the journalist said: "Mother has expired. Father is there. Three brothers and one sister. All married..."
The Monk, with a smile on his face, asked again: - "Do you talk to your father?"
The journalist looked visibly annoyed...
The Monk - "When did you talk to him last?"
The journalist, supressing his annoyance said: "May be a month ago."
The Monk: "Do you brothers and sisters meet often ? When did you meet last as a family gathering?"

At this point, I saw sweat on the forehead ok the journalist. I wondered who was conducting the interview, the Monk or the Journalist. It seemed that the Monk was interviewing the Journalist.

With a sigh , the Journalist said: "We met last at Christmas three years ago."
The Monk: " How many days did you all stay together ?"

The Journalist ( wiping the sweat) said : "four days..."
Monk asked again: "How much time did you spend with him ?"
I saw the journalist looking embarassed and writing something...
The Monk: "Did you have breakfast, lunch or dinner together ? Did you ask how he was? Did you ask how his days are passing after your mother's death ?"
I saw drops of tears coming out from the eyes of the journalist.

The Monk held the hand of the journalist and said: "Don't be embrassed, upset or sad. I am so sorry if I hurt you unknowingly...
But this is the answer to your question about "contact and connection ". You have 'contact' with your father but you don't have 'connection' with him. You are not connected to him. Connection is between heart and heart... sitting and living together , sharing meals and caring for each other ; touching , shaking hands, having eye contact, spending some time together...You brothers and sisters have 'contact' but you dont have 'connection' with each other...."

The journalist wiped his eyes and said : "Thankyou so much for teaching me a fine and unforgettable lesson"

This is the reality today.
Whether at home or in the society everybody has lots of contacts but there is no connection. No communication... . Everybody is in his or her own world.

Let us not maintain just "contacts" but let us remain "connected" ; caring , sharing and spending time with all our dear ones.