Simple Wisdom

I received this from a friend...not sure where it come from but thought I would pass the thoughts on.

 

Simple wisdom tells us that we most fully manifest who we are in our relationships.  Simple wisdom also tells us that it is there between self and other that the deepest meaning of life is realized.  But we also know that it is there that we are also exposed to the deepest pain, to wounding and being wounded in turn. So it is hardly a surprise that many of us turn away -- inwardly if not outwardly -- from the people in our lives, seeking to protect ourselves from the risks of exposure. Such safety comes at a high price, at too high a price really, since we cannot be fulfilled or happy if we keep ourselves at a safe distance. 
Simple wisdom tells us that we must connect, that we must not flee into the impersonal and that self-sufficiency is a wrongheaded ideal. But more significantly, simple wisdom helps us to stay the course by teaching us how to stay the course, by teaching us what we need to know if we want to deepen and strengthen our relation- ships. Simple wisdom shows us how to navigate the rough water that is part of every relationship except the most superficial. Even more, simple wisdom shows us how to turn the inevitable difficulties into opportunities for deepening our connection with the people in our lives. Practicing acceptance, learning forgiveness and above all learning the art of conscious conversation give us the tools for enriching and developing our connection reflex.