This is a time of year when so many people feel isolated and alone. For one reason or another the holidays bring anything but cheer. It's also a time when even the most jovial of people sense a certain draw inward. A desire to connect.
"A hidden connection is stronger then an obvious one" ~Heraclitus of Ephesus
Sometimes our desire to connect is to other people. Other times, we need that solidification from vision to our dream. We need to go from that sense of knowing into a connecting reality. But let's start with the first one.
"Wisdom is nothing more than healed pain"
Robert Gray Lee
There are some people that are buried so deeply within themselves that it's hard to make an effort to reach out and embrace life. The pain of getting hurt again overrides the agony of isolation. And so we count the cost and decide retreat is indeed the best course, but thegaping hole inside us grows bigger. The need for more soon becomes an overwhelming and tortured existence. I can tell you from experience that the tools for breaking through these thick, deep walls are the same for almost everyone.More On this later. Let's talk about the dream connection for a moment.
"Our life is composed greatly from dreams, from the unconscious, and they must be brought into connection with action. They must be woven together."
There isn't a person alive who doesn't have a very specific calling and purpose. There is no such thing as a person who isn't supposed to be here. Some of us know what our destiny is and others live in a stagnant acquaintance with status quot. We know there's more. We can sense it deep down in our bones, but have no idea what it is or even how to get there. And so, a life of conquered expectation and unsettled core become a weight we carry around unseen by most... but always felt by us. Rarely is it in the foreground. It is simply apart of us that we toss back and forth in our heads, push and pull with our hearts and bury in our souls. But it's there. Getting bigger and growing stronger. It isn't a gaping hole, but it's taking up way too much space.
So what is the answer to a connection problem?
"Just one *small* step in the right direction can unveil a *big* pathway to your destiny. The key is to take that step."
First understand that our spirit always pushes us forward. It is the optimist that knows what you're here for and wants you connected, rooted, grounded and ever expanding. Any disconnect comes from our own minds. Our thoughts process fear and set up limitations. Our spirit and soul go to war against this and that produces restlessness. You were created for a reason. Your vision is there for a reason and you can do exactly what you desire to do. That "inner push" is telling you something. Don't block it with excuses of why you can't. You can and you should. Start building a bridge to connect you from dream to reality. Small steps. Consistent steps. Those small steps on the pathway to destiny become leaps of faith that create reality. If you aren't sure what your calling is, simply ask God. He put it there ...so ask Him about it. I can tell you that It always involves something that's already inside you. You're good at it. It comes easily. Some would even say it's a "gift." And sometimes it's what you wanted to be when you were a child. Seek it out and you will find it.
As for the deep-seeded loneliness.
There are different ways people connect with each other and various pathways to that intimate tie. For instance humor is something that shatter walls in a split second. The unexpected gift to a stranger for no reason whatsoever can reach deep into their soul without a single word spoken. The bottom line is that within every good connection lies freedom. Freedom from isolation or fear. Freedom from insecurity or self-made boundaries. Freedom to become what we were meant to be despite our feelings. And within that freedom is an urgency to reach new depths and heights and propel to levels once thought impossible. Open up to someone- a little. A stranger even if needed. Shrink that gaping hole and get outside of yourself even if only for a little while. Yes, you may get hurt. But the pain of perpetual retreat is so much greater then temporary disappointment. Remember-small steps. You have something that someone desperately needs. Don't hide it inside. Connect it to someone.
And finally, I can't overemphasis the importance of prayer. It takes only a few seconds to enter into a realm where the ultimate connection rests. There are no greater dreams fulfilled, no greater bond, no better faith builder and fear destroyer then Him. CS Lewissums it up like this...
God cannot give us happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing."
C.S. Lewis
