Tags
conscious work, disappointment, misunderstanding, personal experience, rejection, relationships, similar, social media, The Sophia Center for Spirituality, words

Sometimes words fail to express what we’re trying to convey, simply because our words are reflections of some personal experience, unique to us – or so we think. Often, however, when we take the risk to share something we are certain that no one would understand, we are shocked into a recognition of how similar we are. This is another arena in which we find that practice is the only way to grow. If we never step out of our comfort zone(s) we will likely not come to understand ourselves or others in the deepest ways possible.
There is, of course, the possibility of misunderstanding or rejection in our willingness to open ourselves to others. It seems to me, however, that the benefits of risk in this way generally outweigh the disappointments if we take our time and pay attention to the growing edge of disclosure in our relationships. I’m not referring here to youthful experience of trial and error with the “best friends for life” that we read about now in our high school yearbooks, although some of those relationships do remain tried and true.
In one sense it seems more difficult to maintain deep, mature relationships in this fast-paced, mobile world. Looked at another way, one could see it as easier to keep in touch if we’re willing to use the technologies that permeate our culture like Zoom, Twitter, FaceTime, etc. but that in itself is a challenge for some of us.
I guess it’s all a question – like everything successful seems to be – of conscious work, balance and letting go…Sometimes we are pleased and sometimes disappointed but in both situations we have an opportunity to grow. At this point in my life, that is enough to know.