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What a Cruise Ship Taught Me About Human Connection (And How to Practice It Every Day)
Published 1/29/26
Family
I just got back from a cruise with my parents and 7 sisters (can't wait to make the photo book to send to my parents), and as I've been scrolling through my pictures, I can't stop thinking about the hallways.
You know that thing we do when we're walking toward someone and we suddenly become deeply interested in the floor? Or we pretend to check something on our phone? Or we look anywhere except their face until the exact moment we pass?
On the ship, it was unavoidable. Long, narrow hallways. Thousands of people. And I realized my default was to avoid eye contact with complete strangers like it was my job.
Why We Avoid Eye Contact With Strangers
And once I noticed it, I couldn't unsee it, almost everyone was doing it.
It made me think about how much we all crave connection… but how little our lives require it anymore. We can get through an entire day without really needing another human. Order groceries. Pick up food. Work online. Text instead of talk. Self-checkout. Doorstep delivery.
It's efficient. It's convenient. And it's also quietly training us to stay in our bubbles.
Because when we're even a tiny bit uncomfortable, standing in a line, walking past someone, sitting in silence, we reach for the easiest escape hatch: distraction. Look down. Look away. Pick up the phone. Stay invisible.
What Happened When I Started Paying Attention
But here's the part that surprised me.
By the end of the cruise, I started noticing people more. A multigenerational family heading to dinner. Teenagers roaming in packs, on the hunt for other teenagers. Elderly couples on scooters. Toddlers in matching shirts. Everyone with their own story. A story that matters!
And on the last day, I stood on the deck waiting to disembark while hundreds of people streamed past me… and I felt this unexpected wave of affection for them. Strangers. People I'd never speak to, never know, probably never see again. But we had been floating together on the ocean for a week, this huge little city, and I suddenly felt connected to them in a way I didn't expect.
We Are All Family (Even When It's Hard to Remember)
It reminded me of something my daughter is learning right now, in real time.
She's on a church mission in Argentina, loving and serving people she'll probably never see again after a few months. And she wrote to me about this big realization she's having:
We are all brothers and sisters. We are all family.
And honestly, I'm still learning it too, in new ways through each phase of life and as our world keeps changing. Because it's hard to remember that in a world that constantly tries to divide us into "us vs. them." And it's hard to live like it's true when the easiest path is to keep your head down and keep moving.
Connection Is Something We Practice
But what if connection isn't something we wait for?
What if it's something we practice?
Not in big dramatic ways. In small, intentional, everyday ways that require a tiny bit of effort… and a tiny bit of discomfort.
Simple Ways to Practice Human Connection Every Day
Here are a few simple ideas to try today:
Make eye contact and smile at one stranger (even if it feels awkward)
Put your phone away while you're waiting in line
Say one genuine compliment out loud ("That color looks amazing on you" goes a long way)
Assume the best about someone who annoys you ("Maybe they're having the hardest day")
Send a quiet wish to someone you pass ("I hope you feel loved today")
Say "thank you" like you mean it, to the cashier, the teacher, the delivery driver, the person holding the door
None of these change the whole world. But they change your world. They soften you. They remind you: you're not alone in this.
Why Small Acts of Connection Matter
Connection takes effort. It takes noticing. It takes choosing not to disappear.
And the payoff matters more than we think. Because every person you pass in a hallway, on a ship, at the grocery store, in traffic, is someone's whole world. And maybe today, we can practice living like we remember that.
Looking for more ways to stay present and connected? Check out our posts on using your memories as a gratitude practice, why human connection matters, and the importance of slowing down.