valuing connection

Apr 24

Dear Reader,

We are wired for connection.

Connection is not just a pleasant addition to our lives but rather an essential part of our well-being. And yet, it can be very easy to confuse proximity with presence, or contact with connection. Real connection, the kind that nourishes us, requires something more of us and to us: attentiveness, curiosity, and a willingness to truly engage.

Valuing connection begins with recognizing the humanity in one another. It’s the decision to not just pass someone by, but to pause and reach toward them. A moment of shared laughter, eye contact that says “I’m here,” a question asked with genuine interest: these are not small things. They are the building blocks of belonging.

This week, try choosing one interaction each day - just one - and treat it as an opportunity to truly connect. It might be with someone close to you or a casual acquaintance. In that moment, bring your full attention. Listen not just to respond, but to understand. Let your body language, your eyes, your presence signal: I’m with you.

When we practice valuing connection, we open ourselves to a deeper experience of life. We soften the edges of isolation, we affirm the worth of others, and we let ourselves be known.

Yours in the journey,