Keeping Connections in life a priority

In today’s society we can be “well” connected through electronic devices and technology. Relationships with people are even more important, than our connectedness with and to “things”. It is our relationships with others that help keep us feeling connected on a personal level.

Our relationships to “things” can help us develop feelings of stability through familiarity because of good experiences. How do feelings of love and connectedness to things develop? Our “love of things” (activities, events, places, hobbies, sports, career etc.) further develop as we spend time on those things and have positive interactions.

The fine line that we walk when loving “something” is realizing and remembering that even though we may have a love for or of “something”, if it is not a human (or sometimes an animal), it does not have the capability to love us. In other words, our love of “things” are one-sided.

On the other hand, our relationships with people are a shared relationship. Memories can be developed and maintained through time spent together and positive experiences. Relationships with people also require a higher commitment of intentionality. Relationships are maintained best through connecting with one another on a regular basis. In some ways, our new abilities to stay connected can sometimes give us a false sense that we can connect any time. In actuality, if our time and consistency of connecting isn’t kept as a priority our relationship, feelings of connectedness, or even feelings of love, may suffer or even diminish.

Staying connected with others gives us an opportunity to further build on positive experiences and interactions. Prioritizing relationships over “things” can help us to feel more connected because the people we are developing and maintaining relationships with have the ability to further share in positive connections, experiences, and even life in general with us.