Silence doesn’t have to be awkward. If given the chance to experience it – embrace it. It’s only uncomfortable for a short moment. I promise.

Embrace the silence with every breath you take as if your life depends on the harmonious mixture of oxygen and stillness…

Connections are important in this lifetime. So why are we all distracted by things that don’t matter? People are afraid of getting close. Being open. Existing purely for the sake of unconditional love.

When you walk past a tree, or gaze up at the stars, do you look at them with as much admiration and love that you do for the people in your life?

Unconditional love. Humans could stand to learn something about this subject from the trees. A tree never withholds its love from anyone or anything for any reason. Not even those who chop them down, pick at their leaves and branches and seek to destroy them. No, a tree will provide shade unconditionally until the last moment possible, never wavering.

Don’t you think we all ought to strive to be more like the trees? After all, remember that we need them to survive – but they don’t need us. So who’s the higher species? Humans? Or Douglas Fir?

Connections. Everyone has connections with others in their life. Every connection is different – and it should be. We all need a wide variety of people in our lives to feel complete. One person cannot be everything to anyone. Ever. If that’s what you’re looking for, you’ll never find it.

The problem people have in relationships is that their insecurities compare them to everyone else, and rather than just experiencing what they currently have with someone they long for someone else’s connection.

Don’t they know that they are perfectly capable of developing their existing connections so much more deeply than they already are, and that they have the capacity to develop something wonderful that transcends even the other connections they long for? Connections are built, not poofed into existence. All you have to do is concentrate on what’s in front of you. Don’t look to the past; don’t look to the future. Just look straight ahead. Look at your feet if you have to, to keep your attention from wandering… eventually you’ll be able to adjust your focus… and sharpen your view. Words to live by. FA SHO, FA SHO!

But seriously, people, the connections you have with people in your life are all going to be very, very different. Embrace that. Don’t compare yourself to other people! Don’t compare connections! You can’t, it’s just going to drive you crazy.

Sometimes people have deeper connections with others in their life and you will never have a connection with them on that level but realize that’s okay! And it doesn’t make those connections any less meaningful. Instead of being depressed about not automatically having a deep connection HANDED to you by God, look at it as an opportunity to DEVELOP that deeper connection. You know, make the effort?

Stop distracting yourselves. Embrace the silence. Embrace the awkward moments and realize that you don’t have to fill the silence with meaningless drivel. You don’t have to entertain each other constantly. Once you experience the depth that silence has to offer you’ll experience something amazing.

Absorb the people in your life, don’t just keep them at an arm’s length. Pull them closer. Make the effort. Don’t ignore your instincts and don’t be afraid.

I have something really incredibly wonderful with a few people in my life and it’s all because I wasn’t afraid to pull them closer.