In the Middle Ages, the Great Chain of Being explained the universe and one’s place in the world. This highly structured, hierarchical system influenced Western thought for centuries. Without wading too deep into the philosophical weeds, what I feel part of now is the Great Chain of Knowing.

Several times this week I’ve asked friends for a name, a reference, for help — and my friends have asked me for the same.

I’ve checked in with a couple I haven’t talked to in years, caught up with a former neighbor, tracked down a professional reference. All of us are part of a Great Chain of Knowing. We’ve been on this earth long enough to have information and contacts to share.

I like to imagine us attached by strong filaments of caring, a bit like the silken strings of a cobweb. Only instead of trapping insects, we’re using these sturdy fibers to support each other. The Great Chain of Knowing. I’ve come to rely on it.