Inmate Mitchell King had a visitor -- his wife. King was serving a six-year jail
term in Auckland, New Zealand for armed robbery. But his wife didn't want to be
away from him for that long. So they held hands. And they stuck. She'd rubbed
her palms with Super Glue.
Their new-found closeness was short-lived. And their separation painful. Her
technique is not one I'd recommend for a closer relationship.
But if you want more closeness; if you desire relationships that are deeper and
broader, more meaningful and longer-lasting, then remember the word "travel."
T is for TRUST. Trust is the glue that holds people together (not Super Glue). A
relationship will go nowhere without it.
R is for RESPECT. "Do not save your loving speeches for your friends till they
are dead; do not write them on their tombstones, speak them rather now instead,"
writes Anna Cummins. It's about respecting others and letting them know that you
value them.
A is for AFFECTION. Sometimes affection means love. Sometimes it means a touch.
Always it means kindness.
V is for VULNERABILITY. Though we may feel afraid to let another too close, no
relationship will go anywhere without risking vulnerability. Entrepreneur Jim
Rohn says, "The walls we build around us to keep out the sadness also keep out
the joy." And the love.
E is for EMOTIONAL INTIMACY. Learn to be open. Learn to communicate freely. What
kinds of relationships you make are largely determined by how openly you have
learned to communicate.
L is for LAUGHTER. Victor Borge got it right when he said, "Laughter is the
shortest distance between two people." It's also the most enjoyable.
For relationships that can really go somewhere, just remember the word "travel."
Then enjoy the trip!
© 2002 Steve Goodier
Thanks to Life Support System Publishing, Inc.
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