Six degrees of separation. They say that’s all that stands between me and a stranger on the other side of the world.

Six degrees. That’s what they say at least.

The theory goes if you say, “I have a friend of a friend,” you should be able to find a connection to every singe person on the planet within six friendly connections.

It has always seemed a little far-fetched to me personally.

Twenty degrees of separation and I would start listening, but six used to seem unrealistic.

But in my first month at The Post, I’m starting to buy into this six degrees theory a little more.

It’s true that one day I can be visiting a business and then the next day meet the owner’s sister at another event, or that I often know how to spell someone’s last name because I met her mother a few days ago.

I grew up in a small town, so that isn’t anything new. In fact, it’s comforting to know that most people know each other. That is after all what community is all about.

But I’ve started to buy into this six degrees concept for a different reason, one that’s not based so much on whom you know but what you do.

There’s this other theory—well it’s actually a law—that goes, “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

I think about Newton’s third law of physics every time I listen to the police scanner in the office.

Strange I know, but it’s true.

For each time someone pulls a gun, gets in an argument with a neighbor or hits a loved one, there’s a reaction by 9-1-1 dispatch, the police department, the fire department. Even me sometimes.

It’s funny how so many people affect my daily schedule with their decisions. They’ll never know how few degrees actually separate us, and I’ll never know the complete back story for their actions.

Listening to the scanner, I wonder if the person who argues with his neighbor realizes how much of an impact his words truly have, how many people his action affects.

To me, that’s the true meaning of the six degrees of separation.

You can affect someone you don’t even know through your actions, no matter how separated you may think you are from others. After all, a child may be listening as you yell at the guy that cut in front of you driving to Kroger.

Of course, I know that sometimes accidents happen, and we unknowingly affect others because life is messy sometimes—sometimes we just have bad day or make the wrong choice. I get it.

But a lot of the world’s problems would be solved if we all took into consideration we are likely connected by fewer than six degrees.

•

Sarah Mahan is a staff writer at The Vicksburg Post. To reach her, email sarah.mahan@vicskburgpost.com.