Any connection, association, or involvement is a relationship. With this in mind, one of the best things about being an enlightened grownup is that you learn how to create good relationships. Here are a few lessons I’ve learned.

“No Man is an Island”

No man is an island,
entire of itself;
every man is a piece of the continent,
a part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less,
as well as if a promontory were.
as well as if a manor of thy friend’s
or of thine own were.
Any man’s death diminishes me,
because I am involved in mankind;
and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
it tolls for thee.

John Donne, 1624

So what is John Donne saying about relationships?  The way I see it, he’s saying that we’re all in this together.  Therefore, we’ve got to find a way to get along with others, as they are.   No matter how hard we try, we can’t change someone else.  

If you’re looking for something to change, look within.

If we want to be happy, we’re gonna have to change ourselves.  As the great Louise Hay said, “No person, no place, and no thing has any power over us, for ‘we’ are the only thinkers in our mind.”   So it goes that only I can change me and only you can change you.

If you want good relationships, don’t hold a grudge.

Many people are ever too eager to give you a reason to be perpetually pissed.  However, learn to not take the bait. In other words, don’t hold a grudge.

No one is important enough to make you stay angry.  It’s a waste of time to dwell on what someone did and how it was so disrespectful to you or someone you care about.  It’s safe to assume that there’s something in that person’s past that makes them act that way.  Try thinking that, given their past experiences, they’re doing the best they can.  Indeed, if you can choose to feel this way, you’ll find more good relationships and your life will go more smoothly.

Every day we can get closer to achieving the inner peace that we all crave.  For the purpose of getting in touch with yours, please review the Dance Safari post entitled “12 Symptoms of Inner Peace“.   As a matter of fact, putting them into action has been helpful for many.  Some like to concentrate on one ‘symptom’ a day.  These affirmations have a way of easing stress, allowing you to feel more relaxed and open to good relationships.

By living up to the saying, “With age comes wisdom“, I want to show, by example, how much the universe and all it holds, means to me. That’s going out to you…my family, neighbors, strangers, service providers, Mother Nature, and, of course, myself. Oh, yeah, and Roxie, too!