Building Substantial Relationships

“As you wait for that one great life changing event to happen….you have missed one thousand…” ~angel

Our life is comprised of many small incidents that have lead up to great happenstances. First steps begin with standing, holding on and dancing, until BOOM she’s walking! The big graduation ceremony was a million experiences within hundreds of days that were filled with sweat, tears, sleepless nights, sunny days and study sessions all of which carried you up to the big day. Life’s special moments are always happening, they are created in our daily activities and we have the power and sometimes duty to acknowledge them and consciously contribute to make them memorable.
I’ve taken notice of the lack of communication among families, both verbal and nonverbal.

A mother and her infant daughter in a waiting area at an office, the perfect unscheduled time to bond with the baby but mom places a barrier between the both of them- her cell phone. She’s not speaking on the phone, although that too is an unconscious barrier, she’s using the phone as a way to entertain this infant. We create our relationships, they never just happen. A mother creates a bond with her children before they ever meet face to face and there after. Yet this mother unknowingly is allowing the precious moments to pass her by. Smiling, patting, tickling and just bouncing baby on her knee are the teeny measures that lead to the big show tunes such as prom day, graduation day and her daughter’s first day as a mother. Those special occasions will not carry the same sentiments if they aren’t supported by the seemingly insignificant moments leading up to that day.

Dad and son bonding begins with playing cars on the floor, piecing together puzzles in the kitchen, and bath time before tucking him in bed. They effortlessly build trust and admiration that a young boy should hold for his father . If these actions are missing, what would be the foundation for “the talk” that fathers have with their sons? It would be just an empty and awkwardly forced conversation.

Girlfriends relationships are more than the getaways and group photos on Instagram. Their relationships are filled with conversations, big pow wows, disagreements, sitting in on the sofa in front of the TV sipping wine and snacking, just listening to her vent and sharing stories about the kids. If those friends only get together for their annual Girl-cation, those photos have no substance beyond the poses while they were taken.

I say all of this just to bring to your attention that you hold the power to create the mold for how you want a relationship to be. Don’t wait for just the picture perfect opportunity, because each stroke of the brush paints that marvelous picture that you so desire to hang and admire! Be balanced. Be well. C’est la Vie!