In thinking about it, our increasingly electronically based world detaches us from the humanity of others. We become separated from the effects of our words and actions upon another when we do not experience their response.
I have talked about empathy before, but now I see how it is important in a way that our lives may truly depend on it. If we cannot truly feel what another feels, we will have no reason to care about what another feels, or what they experience.
In order to survive, what if our lives depended on being able to see ourselves in others - even in the vulnerability and ugliness?
I bet on some level we think we are protecting ourselves by staying away. But in some way, I suspect we are denying a piece of ourselves every time we do that. And it is not like that piece doesn't exist. It probably is a lot worse left in the dark than when it is allowed to see the light of day.
Facing stuff may not always be desired, and may often seem scary, but there is an incredible freedom on the "other side," and the ability to really connect to another that can be incredibly rewarding.
It all starts with taking a risk. Risking looking weak, vulnerable, bad. The greatest irony is that most anyone can likely identify with where you are, if they only allow themselves to acknowledge it.
We somehow think we are connecting by being someone we are not, but instead it is only serving to separate ourselves from our self, and each other.
I wonder if we all said what really wanted to, and allowed our true feelings to be expressed, what would happen. I bet those who are afraid would think it a terrible idea, but maybe, just maybe it would be a place to begin to heal a multitude of wounds.
Look around. Really look. There is so much pain. There are so many wounded. So many ignored. You are closer to being any one of them than you may think.
Maybe you do realize and that is why you keep your distance (if you do). But keeping your distance doesn't keep it from ever affecting you.
By divorcing yourself from another's reality, you are divorcing yourself from your humanity.
I am not saying you have to go out and save the world, but, rather, that by being in touch with your feelings and emotions in relation to another, it might just be the way it gets saved.
You know all that stuff you hide? We all got some, and a lot of it probably matches. We probably can connect on so many levels, if we just got all of the "stuff" out of the way and were willing to get to the core of who we are and let it say who we are in the world, instead of letting the outside world dictate it for us.
Maybe if we got to be who we truly are we would not be the many things we appear to be. Maybe greed and selfishness is an attempt to control the uncontrollable, and if we were ok with things as they are, we would not feel such a drive to control the many aspects of our lives.
Maybe every perceived "negative" is found in that layer of life that covers who we truly are, a part of us that is afraid. That negative in some way tries to deal with that feeling inside that leaves us feeling "less than" in some way.
It has power because it gets to hide. The coping mechanisms have power because they are fed by the pieces that get held in the dark.
Some would think in silence is their strength. But true inner strength has outer expression - if not in word, in deed.
I am not entirely sure where these thoughts are coming from. I never really thought about this stuff before - at least not in this way. I think it makes "sense" to me, though. And if it makes sense to you, too, awesomesauce. :)
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