Connections

How well can you know somebody? Do you ever know everything about someone?

Even when you're married and have a long history, it's impossible to know everything about the other person. You probably have jobs away from each other, so there's a side of your spouse you don't see. 

So what drives us to want to know others, to have others know us? 

I have issues with my mom, and I know she knows very little about me, about the person I am, the things I know about.  Maybe some of that has to do with the fact that things I know are things she knows nothing about.  Or maybe she doesn't bother to know.  

Or worse, her apathy or antipathy toward anything she doesn't understand, or anything that doesn't conform to her ideals? Way too much to try to understand.

One thing that has been a driving force behind my writings has been for the desire for my kids to know me. I got that from Bridges of Madison County,  the way she left her diaries for her kids.  Beautiful story, by the way.

But even two people who are at the same event see things differently; words and actions are filtered through their own experiences and thoughts or feelings. 

And yet we all want to feel known, to know others.  Connection to others seems to be embedded into our DNA for survival. But this is a throwback to a time when there were fewer people on the planet, and lived in tribal or communal groups, a necessity for survival. But how does that relate to our modern world, our modern living arrangements? 

Why do we still crave a closeness that isn’t practical, or necessary, in these modern times??

And yet another esoteric conversation that wouldn't happen with mom. *sigh*  

and so it goes.

(It's way too early in the morning for such big thoughts!!)