everyone longs to be valued

A while back I hung out with a zillion people at a friend’s house and I spent a majority of the evening people watching and allowing my mind to wander as I went from conversation to conversation with friends, both new and old.

I love people.

I love watching the timidity of first introductions, the covert second glances fueled by attraction, other people abandoning themselves to bursts of joyous laughter and the look of triumph on someone’s face as their joke is understood and reveled in.

There are always quiet people in corners listening to loud people telling stories, best friends in deep conversations acknowledging their familiarity in a touch on the shoulder or a pat on the back. It’s a jumble when it’s all happening at one time, but when you pay attention to the details it’ll teach you a lot about the people you’re around and it’s better than any reality show in the world.

If we pay attention, it’s like watching scenes from a real-life performance on desire, trust and intimacy being acted out right in front of us. Who has earned it? Who is seeking it? Who is terrified?

Every person desires that intimate connection with another person… even if they don’t know how to ask for it, what to do if they get it, or if it even exists…

We all want that person we can wave at from across the room and go sit by and just let out a deep breath because they KNOW us. Our true selves can be at rest around them.

It takes time to establish that familiarity with another person. Time invested in communication… a desire to know that person, and in turn, to be known by that person as well. After all... to know and be known... that's the definition of intimacy, right?

“Communication leads to community, that is, to understanding, intimacy and mutual valuing.”
-Rollo May

Value the people in your life. Value them to the extent that no encouraging word goes unsaid, no insecurity is left to grow in silence and no one you love is left to wonder if you truly SEE them for who they are.

Let's value one another...