Making connections

Not only was this Memorial Day weekend amazing because I got to spend it and share it with my family and close friends, I was also able to make a lot of connections...

I was able to make connections of my past experiences with my present life, make connections with old friends, make connections with new friends and make connections with my family. I chose to put this picture on my post today because I firmly believe that we have the ability to make our own connections. We choose to create the relationships that we have. Although, we cannot control the path of these relationships, we are able to create that initial spark in creating an interpersonal connection.

I was fortunate enough to have a handful of incredible conversations and connections today. It is amazing how we create these pre-conceived thoughts about people and it is not until we take the time to get to know them and have an in-depth conversation that we realize how alike we really are (we, referring to society as a whole). I feel that a majority of people are close minded when it comes to creating friendships with certain people because of what they have heard or because they feel that looking from the outside they would have nothing in common with that person. But - in actuality I am no different from you (yes, I may look different, talk different, walk different, have different taste in music/style  ... I think you get the point). I am a human being, just like YOU!

I have emotions; I feel mad, sad, happy, afraid, ashamed, insecure, pain ... I want to belong. I want to feel comfort and security. I want to be accepted. I want to experience intimacy. I want to be comfortable in my skin. I want to be able to be me. Doesn't everyone feel these emotions? Doesn't everyone want these things? Instead of looking at social/financial status, skin color, ethnicity ... let's embrace the fact that we are all living, breathing, human beings.

I feel very privileged that the people I conversed with tonight, were brave enough to share some of their very personal things with me. I am genuinely excited to see growth in each of them and am excited to take bits & pieces of their experiences and relate them to mine. One of my conversations tonight I could closely empathize with - very, very closely. It was so bizarre because through making this connection, I saw the amount of growth that I've had. It was a little pick me up to know that I have achieved so many things over the last 2 years and I am only continuing to go up that ladder.

Sparking connections ... yup, it's what I am passionate about. 

It's what I love to do.