Individual that are connected

When we think about our life, about our experience, who we are and how we interact, do we think that we are individuals? Or do we think of ourselves as being part of a greater whole? We probably think that both are true. Aloneness is undeniable; we are born alone, we will die alone. Sometimes we feel very alone when we have to make difficult decisions. We are alone when we have to bear the consequences of our actions. But that’s only one part. The second and probably much more interesting part of life is that we are always in connection, in dependence on others. Think about it—we wouldn’t have even survived our birth if it weren’t for other people who were there to take care of us. This kind of interrelationship continues throughout our lives.

When we focus on just the first aspect of being an individual, separate from others, we become one-sided. Somehow the idea of being the center of the universe creeps in. This is natural in a way, in that whatever we do is motivated by wanting advantages for ourselves and pushing away any discomfort towards others. And frequently we don’t even consider whether someone else has to bear the consequences. That becomes a problem. We can see with globalization that it is not really possible to think of ourselves intelligently as being totally separate; we are being influenced and influencing others all the time, whether consciously or not. It is really important to develop a deeper awareness of how this works.

The first steps to becoming better better connected with yourself and those immediately around you at home and work. Get to know them better and try to understand they unique lives, likes, dislikes and points of view. See the importance in our collective differences.