Creating Connections

We are constantly creating connections in our lives. From the moment we are born, we are bonding with our mothers. Our family is our closest (and usually only) connection when we are young. Wait - let's not forget the friends of our parents. They matter in a big way!

As we reach school age, we establish a broader circle of connections and we learn like sponges. Ohhhhh do we learn!

Once we have been plunked into our scholastic setting, the connections begin to become further reaching - we may know people our parents don't at this point and we develop a sense of who we want to be friends with.

Junior high and high school tends to be where our 'strongest' connections are made. Is this because we are dealing with emotional and hormonal changes in our lives? We make some really strong connections - and often after the twelfth grade, they dissipate as adulthood takes hold.

If it wasn't difficult enough, as teenagers we seem to also deal with harsher judgements from society and perhaps even our parents for having opinions of our own (and voicing them). Perhaps it's the peer pressure, but perhaps teens prove themselves in need of further education (when it comes to real life) and adults start to realize the shape of the future.

All of these connections before we even head out into the great big world. I was thinking about this the other day....and as tends to happen, one thought created another and then another.....

.....'What happens if our 'connections' are based on things about us that are false, or phony? It isn't like that never happens! What if when we meet someone, we hide our true selves and operate based on what we believe the other person wants to see?' How long will this be able to work for us?

(Do you see where this is going....?)

Our connections - and relationships or interactions with others - have now fallen to a more negative side of operation.

Lack of honesty about our beliefs, things we like or things we do will only end up coming full circle eventually. Our true selves emerge in times of emotion (bad day, anyone?) and when two people realize just how incompatible they are, it can be confusing for one or both of them.

We have all been the person who 'should have been more honest' and we have all been that person who 'thought they knew someone.' We all know pain, but our levels of experience are different.

As we grow up, we realize that we have some control over how we deal with - and who. As a young adult, I'm sure the 'me' I presented was a big pile of confused personality trying to sort itself out. I admit it. I had fun along the way though, cross my fingers I didn't confuse too many others and I learned some amazing lessons - but I'm far from finished!

I believe part of the 'growing up' thing is realizing how precious time actually is. We don't have enough of it, never will - and we can't make more. Having folks in our lives that bog us down makes no sense, so as we get older, we tend to avoid drama and negativity where we can.

I look forward to the future and the positive connections to be made along the way. I'm grateful for each one I ever made and what it has brought to my life.