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I don’t know what it is about my generation, whether it is the era we were raised in or the “me” generation we were raised by but sometimes it seems that even tho’ our lives are busier than ever and the world is at a breakneck pace, more than anything what we most hunger for, that which would give us a sense of belonging and peace is – connection. We look for it in group meetings, special events, high school reunions, dating services and these days most especially – the internet. We forge bonds w/unlikely friends desperate to find a common vocabulary, common interests, common experience and a common language of the heart. We cling hungrily to any morsel thrown our way so starved of nourishment on our proverbial plates. Where is that food that will feed our souls? It’s not about filling space, it’s about a deep yearning and need for enrichment that keeps us heading back to that cluttered fridge o’ life and ultimately as we rifle through it moving leftovers out of the way and throwing out old outdated food, what we are left with is an emptiness where what we most want to find is that which keeps eluding us – connection. Connection – that rare and valuable commodity that cannot be manufactured or forced where none exists and should be treasured and nurtured when it is found. For when it is found it is magical and precious and feeds our souls. And yet it seems that people still walk away, sabotage or hold at bay that very thing they most crave. Perhaps it is so foreign to us due to that world we grew up in or “me” generation we were raised by but it seems to me that if we are to feel full from the food of life, we must clear outdated thought patterns and garbage fed to us by others, open our minds and hearts and remove the fear that pushes what we want away and keeps us constantly hungry and yearning for that satisfying meal called connection. Recognize it when it shows up, embrace it when it arrives and nurture it so that it may nourish, comfort and feed your soul. For in so doing, that is ultimately how we can regenerate our generation and change it from a lonely one to a lovely one, one that is self feeding, self sustaining and thrives.
(written: 5/29/2010)
