St. Bonkus, patron saint of failed relationships and blind dates…, a photo by Shitao (away) on Flickr.
I once had a client who said, “We [humans] consist of but pockets of time. Spend time on things that don’t matter-waste time–and you throw away yourself.”
As with life and pockets of time, humans also consist of a conglomeration of relationships, none so important as the one we hold with ourselves.
Despite all, we recognize and best come to know ourselves, who we are, our likes and dislikes, pet peeves and joys through interaction with others.
We can never truly come to understand some aspects of ourselves except by way of interaction with those outside ourselves.
Who we see when meeting the eyes of another stands against the canvas of who we truly are, our essential self.
And yet we cannot recognize this canvas of our authentic self, evidence and experience its existence and the intricacies of its [our] character and personality except by way of interaction with another.
This is the conundrum of life. One we cannot escape.
Those with whom we awaken, and live each day both evidence and support our life, and purpose in living.
Without them we are nothing, our living but an illusion continually evading our grasp.
Man does not live by bread alone.
Perhaps human relationships provide the water that enables us to wash down the bread and corpus of our living.
Who waters the parched bread of your soul?
What have you witnessed lately of yourself in the reflection of the eyes of others with whom you are closest?
Whom do you allow at a distance close enough to see into their eyes?