Making the Connection

Have you ever had the experience of meeting someone, and after a few minutes of conversation, settled into the feeling of having known that person all you life? This sort of incident – an immediately strong emotional connection – is quite rare. It’s happened to me on two occasions, and in both cases, resulted in long-term friendships.

Why is there an instant connection with some people and not others? It seems that it is easier to relate to people who are open to wanting to get to know another. There is a certain chemistry that simply happens when individuals are tuned into each other. Both experience it simultaneously.

There is also a school of thought that says we are destined to have certain people in our lives. Perhaps that’s why some interactions don’t seem to make a lot of sense. When we try to force relationships that shouldn’t happen, the end result is usually trouble.

No where has this been more obvious than on the new “reality television” shows. It is not realistic to place people in an artificial environment and expect them to instantly bond on an intimate level. These programs may have found such a large audience because the premise of what they are doing is so peculiar.

People learn to relate on different levels. There are times when relationships are formed without even seeing the other person. Pen pals and telephone conversations, while not usually an instant connection, can quickly develop into so much more. Physical components don’t get in the way, and true personalities can emerge.

On the other hand, many attractions start out as purely physical. In order to endure, they must transcend beyond this level, because images change as we age. Special friendships go beyond the superficial to the essence of the people we are.