A dictator behind the Iron Curtain issued a decree so he could grow an army. Instead he created a nation of orphans. We instantly connect to fictional orphan characters when we read about them in books like the Harry Potter series and Dorothy Gale in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. In real life, the damage done to orphans when they are abandoned early in life can have lasting effects, leaving them isolated and alone, even after they are adults. The absence of connections affects us deeply. The pandemic has caused us damage emotionally and physically but maybe there are lessons we can learn from orphans.    See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.