6.
The Art of Relationship
We get so comfortable with our current relationship setup. It takes an effort to make new relationships, doesn’t it? Or, we withdraw into our own bubble of relationship because we don’t want to take the risk of getting hurt or rejected.
This book is not meant to dive into the psychological areas that keep us from relationships, but to open up the mind to possibilities of meaningful relationships beyond what you believe you are capable of.
How many people walk by you every day and you have no idea who they are, what their story is, what brought them to where they are, and who they have in their circle of influence? What might happen if you take a chance and force yourself to meet a total stranger? Go ahead, do it!
(DISCLAIMER: The author takes no responsibility for who you choose to try this experiment with, nor can he be responsi- ble for the outcome, whatever that may be—unless you gain a meaningful friendship, and then I’ll gladly take credit!)
There is literally no end to the number of connections we can make in relationship with people around us. We may say it’s a small world, but is it really? With billions of people in the world, can we ever stop the cycle of meeting others? Not easily. So if the goal is to connect with others to develop meaning- ful relationships, how do we do that? It begins by understanding the levels of relationship.
Eight Levels of Relationship
One of my favorite things to do is to meet someone and spend time hearing their story; specifically, I like to understand where they were born and what brought them to where they are currently in life. I am not always successful in getting to that point with someone, because they need to be willing to share their