I have gone through most of my life as a loner. For a long time I thought I preferred being alone, but over the last few years I have obtained a greater appreciation for friendships, and I’ve realized that I like being alone, but I also like connecting with other people. My only caveat is that I seek deep connections with people.
In our culture of using social media to interact with each other, it is easy to get lost in our connections to other people. We have X number of “friends” and Y number of “likes,” and it only alludes to connecting with people. Social media is great for a lot of things, and it can even be argued that it helps us connect to people more easily, but I personally find it a lot easier to make deep connections through face-to-face contact. I’m not concerned in the quantity of connections I can make, but rather the quality of those connections.
So what does it mean to connect with someone deeply? For me, it means that, when I first meet someone who I get along with, I decide to be open with them and to trust them. This can be difficult to do, especially if you’ve always been a loner like I have, but choosing to be open and trusting allows for a more honest, deeper connection to others. I also try to be conscious of my connections with people. When I am talking to someone I try to be actively connected to them; consciously taking in what they say, giving thoughtful responses, and working to understand them better as a person.
Friendships are powerful, and connections to people are sources of inspiration and support. When I say I want deep connections, I mean that I want to inspire and support people while also feeling inspired and supported. I want my connections to people to feel meaningful and not just have surface appeal. When I find a mutual connection like this, it is so rewarding. Connecting with people is a really wonderful experience, and friendships like these are so important to our personal journeys. I want the landscape of my life to be abounding with these connections because each one is meaningful and each one shapes me in some way.
Deep connections can happen anywhere, with anyone. They can last for just a few minutes or for a lifetime. Every connection we make is a chance to learn and grow. Every person we meet provides a new perspective and a new set of experiences from which we can learn. The most important things to keep in mind as we go through life are to be open to accepting people into your life, and to be willing to work for that deeper connection to others. Once a connection is made, it won’t soon be forgotten.