awesomeMobius

Have you ever really connected with someone? I’m not talking superficial connections that come from things like networking, I mean something on a deeper level. I’m talking about something like the sense of a shared soul. You think the same things, you finish each other’s sentences, you are alike in so many ways it’s spooky.

I have been fortunate enough to experience this sort of connection a few times in my life. I’ve learned to stand up and take note of these connections when they happen, because they don’t happen very often. If I were a religious man, I’d say that these are the people that God puts in our lives for a reason. They fill the holes in ourselves. It goes back to the Goethe quote on commitment in a way, committing to something causes all sorts of things to unfold before us we couldn’t have possibly imagined happening.

My bestie and I have this sort of connection. She committed to finding mentors and approached me about being one. I had committed to connecting with more of the people in my life. The timing was perfect, we connected, and off we went. At first it wasn’t a super deep connection, sometimes these things take time to develop, but I knew immediately that I liked her and the way she approached life – very intentional. We talked about everything. Every day we connected on some level and, as time progressed, the connections grew deeper as we got to really know and trust each other. She quoted some of my favorite movies, and immediately knew the ones I cited as well. She has been sitting by my side through the whole hospital process, always there to provide support and proper perspectives when I’d get frustrated. She gave voice to my frustrations too. She showed up, every day, over and over. I hadn’t had that sort of support in my life before, and it was beyond refreshing.

My family has been great, really coming together in a way that heretofore has been unheard of, and they have been there for me too. But I don’t have this sort of deep connection with anyone in my family. Maybe that’s normal for families – we can choose our friends, but we cannot choose our families – and I know some people have that sort of connection with their families. My connections with mine are growing, evolving, developing into deeper ones lately. It’s never too late to start, but it takes work from all parties involved. My father is doing the work, being proactive, reaching out, and it’s great. My sister is too. But there are inherent differences in us that, at this time, preclude one of those really deep connections. We’re working on it though, making progress. And that progress is heartwarming.

Anyway, I guess my point is that when you find those deep connections in your life, pay attention to them. Nurture them, cherish them. They don’t happen very often and may be there for a reason. It is up to you to cultivate them. You can’t imagine how they will develop, and they will change you forever. These are the important people in your life, the ones that add value just by being present. Hold on to them with everything you’ve got.