Human beings are social creatures. Even the most enthusiastic “solitude-lovers” among us must appreciate the occasional text or email or a gentle rub on the shoulder on a rough day. Reading a book may not seem like the most social activity, but it still involves engaging intellectually with content written by a human being. In one way or another, we draw energy and inspiration from other people. Every story or piece of art unravels the mystery of the human condition. We learn from one another, give and take from one another, support and build one another. People are our resources (as we are theirs) and personal fulfillment is very much contingent on our relationships with others. Some of us though don’t give much thought to our relationships and how we interact with others. We may be brutally frank, for instance, oblivious to others’ feelings, and can unintentionally hurt them… habitually losing friends and partners and not quite sure why… Scars created in the heart are that much harder to heal. I’m not saying that we should be two-faced… but honesty need not be reckless. And investing more in our relationships doesn’t mean being ingratiating. It just involves a little more consideration to just how precious people are, whether they belong in our inner circle or not. We are all interconnected, and we all have value. Damaging our relationships damages us and our opportunities. It hews down our own chances of doing more of what we want to do. The fulfillment that we get from connecting deeply with another person is something we don’t need science to prove. But deeper connection is impossible if we continue to judge people based on appearances or superficial evidence. Now this is something we all spontaneously do to some extent, but it is anathema to relationships. We don’t like being judged. Why should others? We all however appreciate being appreciated. We all appreciate being accepted. When we tip the scales towards understanding and collaboration rather than judgement and opposition, we can create more fruitful and fulfilling relationships.
Posted on: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 03:40:44 +0000
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