I had an inspiring conversation during my visit earlier this month to Serbia. I was meeting with Marijana Jovanović – a participant in our upcoming Relocate Series event and Founder of the Maglian Campus – a co-living space 1.5 hours outside of Belgrade.

“There is green all around,” emphasized Marijana, as we sat outside perched high above the urban skyline of Belgrade, also surrounded by green. Our conversation had no agenda – in fact, Marijana opened our conversation with this question when I arrived: “So why are we here?”

Amusingly this became a native theme that threaded our conversation. From visceral sensations of the human connection to metaverse – we seemed to span existence in one hour. I’m reflecting on this here because the conversation is intricately connected to the workplace. In the most literal sense, our relationship with the physical dimensions of work.

These physical engagements in time define our reality and this digital-pace at which we are moving is truly boundless – like a wild horse it cannot be tamed. We both seemed to agree, as we sat discussing these realities both as professionals and parents. We agreed that we were from the same generation – “a bridge generation” – born into an era of time where digital commodities were only just emerging as a household consumer item. Those born into this generation experienced early-stages of youth without the omnipresence of the world wide web. We were not yet caught.

We also agreed that the next generation has some profoundly complex realities to face. Marijana coined it the “Google Generation” – not so far off from my own blanket categorization of the “On-Demand Generation.” Whatever you want to label it, millennials, x, y, z, netizens….this generation is a wild horse.

As a parent, as a professional, as a human-being, I feel a strong obligation of responsibility. We were privileged to live in a pre-www era. Fortunate to hear the tones of a busy signal. Lucky to learn how to write cursive with ink on paper. And so, as we plow ahead into what seems like the inevitable digital abyss – it is the values like the ones being instilled at Maglian Campus that breathe life back into life...even if for a few days.

As we go about our busy-working days in these alternative realities, we must never forget the power of human connections. We must never lose our senses with the natural world, either. For even nature in the most toxic-environments will forgive in abundance.

And let us harness the power of the wild horse. If a generation is to bring progress, let us understand the space through which it gallops – for even wild horses run together before coming to rest.

Where do you stand along the Bridge and Great Divide?

David is a passionate advocate for the freedom of movement, a father of two, husband of one, and a licensed immigration lawyer.

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