During a critical virtual meeting, Maya's internet suddenly cut out, leaving her screen frozen and her voice unheard. Alone in her small apartment, she felt the stark isolation remote work can bring, missing the quick chats and energy of the office.

With calm urgency, she reset her router and tethered her phone to create a makeshift hotspot. "Can you see me now?" she asked, relieved when her team appeared again on screen. The glitch was brief, but it reminded everyone how fragile their connections—and communication—really were.