THE UNVIRTUAL WORLD

365 Days of Thanksliving — Day 129

The title of today’s post is a bit of an oxymoron, isn't it? I’m going to put it right out there and give thanks to the Lord our God for the “unvirtual” world. Ironically, I’m saying that while shouting into the digital simulation we call the World Wide Web, where we all spend way too much of our lives.

Let me break it down.

Look, I’m no different than you. If you’re reading this, you’re currently drifting through a manufactured, simulated environment. We could argue all day about whether this space is “real,” but that sounds like a philosophy major’s fever dream, and I don't have the aspirin for that. Because the world has shifted, we’ve traded skin-in-the-game for pixels-on-a-screen. But as I’m aging, I’m finding myself reawakened to—and deeply appreciative of—the actual physical world the Lord created.

And believe me, I get the theory: there are folks who think our world is just a high-res simulation run by some supreme cosmic IT department. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We’re all in the Matrix and we just need to find the right pill to wake up. While it’s a fun plot for a Keanu Reeves flick, I’m not buying it. I personally don’t think we’re living in a computer program. Anyway, I digress. Enough of my fussing; let’s talk about office equipment.

Consider this: the sexy world of copier contracts. Over at the church, we’re currently shopping for a new copier contract. I know, I know—try to contain your excitement. It’s easily the sexiest sentence I’ve written all year. But we need a functional machine to handle our printing, and our current leasing company has gone persona non grata.

What’s been fascinating during this process is how many companies desperately want to do business exclusively in the virtual world. Call me old-fashioned, but I think there’s something to be said for pressing the flesh and actually trying to win a client’s business face-to-face. Observe the three contenders:

Candidate No. 1: "Ricky"

We’ve been in contact with young Ricky for two months, and he somehow managed to forget we existed. Bold strategy for a guy whose paycheck relies on commissions, right? When we finally nudged him, he asked, “Can we just meet via Zoom?” We politely declined. We wanted him to bring the proposal over and walk us through it.

He showed up on time, but he was wholly unprepared. Here’s the punchline: he couldn’t print the proposal because the copier in his office was broken. You can't make this stuff up. He works for a copier company and can't produce a piece of paper. It was clear he’d rather have just stayed in his digital bubble.

Candidate No. 2: The "Old School" Pro

This gent comes from a local “mom and pop” shop in Mankato. He’s been around the block enough times to know where the potholes are. His greatest lesson? The value of a handshake. He values building relationships in the actual world. He came in, listened, joked, and “did life” with us in a truly human way. It felt genuine—a rare commodity these days.

Candidate No. 3: "Bruh"

"Bruh" called me this morning after getting a lead from his receptionist. Within three minutes, he was hitting me with a pitch about how he could "save us money" and "slash the monthly lease." My B.S. meter hit the red zone immediately. “Alls I had to do” was email him our numbers and he’d shoot over a proposal. Interpersonal relationships? Never heard of 'em.

The irony? He sounded older than me. You’d think a fellow "old fart" would value the traditional route, but apparently, he was just looking for the fastest path to a digital signature.

Why the Real World Matters

I think there’s something vital about doing life in person whenever possible. While I see the value in the online world—after all, it’s how we’re interacting right now—most of you are people I see regularly. I’d trade a thousand "likes" for one real-world conversation any day of the week.

Why? Because the more we try to “do life” virtually, the more we risk losing our ability to function in the real one. I see people “coming to church” virtually, and while I’m glad they’re watching, they’re missing the most important part: the fellowship. The actual being together.

Look, I get it for those who are homebound, like my father-in-law. But for the rest of us, living in the simulation is often just "easier" than face-to-face interaction. Maybe we do need to "wake up" from the Matrix we’ve built for ourselves.

Tonight, I’m thankful we still have a real world where we can gather, touch, hug, eat, smile, and cry together. I feel like I’d wither away if I couldn't do life with you in the physical realm. The real world is where you exist, and for that, I thank the Lord.

I hope to see you soon—in the flesh—for a laugh, a handshake, or even a fist bump.

What are you thankful for today?