Building Relationships

Relationships are important in helping people grow. They are particularly important in a marriage and in a monastery. Humans are not meant to be alone. We need other people to love us, to challenge us, to recognize our gifts, and to support us.
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In order for people to love us they need to know us in more than a superficial way. They need to know our idiosyncracies, our warts, our foibles, our weaknesses, and love us anyway and help us laugh at ourselves.

We also need to be challenged when we are doing harm to ourselves or others. If we have addictions or fail to fulfill our duties, a good friend can make us aware and guide us to seek help.

Friends also can recognize our giftedness and encourage us to use our gifts to help others or to bring joy and hope to the community. Some people are shy or hesitant to use their gifts and need to be drawn out.

All of us need support at times of sorrow or loss. Sometimes we need a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen to our difficulties. A good friend is important to understand and console us during these hard times.

Building relationships is hard and takes time, but is essential for society. As Franklin D. Roosevelt reminds us: "If civilization is to survive, we must cultivate the science of human relationships - the ability of all peoples, of all kinds, to live together, in the same world at peace." 

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