I have decided that though attachment is the root of all suffering, CONNECTION is not. Connection means to willfully, intentionally reach out to others in an effort to share your humanity, authentically share who you are, and receive from others who they are, what they have to give. Sometimes these connections are happy and pleasurable, and other times they are painful and depressing. Nevertheless, you can say "I authentically connected with that person...and it was meaningful". We live in the digital era, where everything is short, virtual, and we still feel empty. Make sure you make an effort to reach out and talk to and connect with your neighbors, your colleagues, your friends, family who treat you decently, and the grocery clerk checking you out. Find something in common, have a little chat, share a smile, do something kind for someone....these human connections are what make us whole. I want to share this awesome TED talk about addiction and connection...it is very deep.
After you watch this, try reading the book, The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion.
Learning how to be kind to ourselves is the only way we can live by the golden rule. So before you connect to others, make sure you're being kind to yourself, and that will extend to others :-)
