The holiday season is in full swing here in the US and that means many things to many different people.
No matter what your thoughts, attitudes and beliefs are about holidays, there are two observations that we’ll share with you…
1) Everyone is different
and
2) Everyone is just the same
Here’s what we mean…
We are all different.
We all look at the world from our own unique perspectives which may not be apparent or clear to anyone else. We all have ways of being that may seem perfectly natural to us but not so natural to someone else.
And we all want the same thing.
We all really want connection.
Connection can show up in a multitude of ways and can look very different to each of us but at our core, that’s what we ALL want.
You may recall that we recently moved to a new home in a different city from where we lived for many years.
We now live in the same city as Susie’s two grandsons (ages 13 and 9) and every time we get together, it’s the same thing.
Each one of them wants to connect with her in his own way. The 13 year old is a budding computer programmer and wants to show her his newest web work. The 9 year old is an artist/cartoonist who wants to show her his latest creations.
After a few minutes with her, each boy goes off and does something else–but that precious connection has been made first–each in a different way.
The interesting thing about connection is that most people go through all kinds of weird gyrations in order to get it.
Otto was in a national chain restaurant a few days ago and the person behind the counter taking his order had various kinds of jewelry and piercing in her face and body.
All these piercings really stood out and on one one level it may appear that this person may be trying to express her individuality. It’s also equally possible that if you look underneath the piercings and tattoos, what this person was really hoping for was a way to connect with other people.
As we said a moment ago, we are all different AND we all want the same thing.
Connection.
So our questions to you about this issue are these..
How can you recognize your desire for connection?
How do you either consciously or unconsciously enjoy connecting with the other people in your life?
And finally…
How can you make a connection with your loved ones, friends, co-workers and even strangers, especially at this holiday season?
One of our good friends stopped in the other day and was very sad because her beloved dog is ill and may be dying.
We simply hugged her as she cried.
Maybe someone you know needs a friendly word, a hug, or a phone call.
Maybe someone you know wants to talk with you or just be with you without all of the holiday rush.
We invite you to take this opportunity to connect with the people in your life in a way that works for both of you. If you want to connect with someone, ask for what you want and don’t expect that the other person can read your mind.
Susie’s grandsons aren’t shy about asking for her attention.
Whether it’s right now during the holidays or any other time, we suggest that if you want to connect with someone, just ask. Be open to connecting to others in ways that may be unfamiliar to you.
We think you’ll be surprised at how much and how often the other people in your life (and the people you want to be in your life) want connection too.