This weekend I went with my Son to see about his truck. Starting it was becoming very weak so we went to the auto parts store to have the battery and alternator checked. After some back and forth we determined a new battery was needed. In the process of removing the old one the cable connectors were broken. In the hustle and bustle the auto parts guy sold us some galvanized connectors instead of the ones made of lead. The lead ones are more malleable and fit around the post very snug. Within twelve hours my Son had to stop and adjust the cheap, loose fitting connectors three times in order to start his truck. He called me from work and asked that I replace the connectors with the more reliable, form fitting, lead connecting terminals.
We rely on quality connections for just about everything in our lives. If you don't cut that coaxial cable just right, you won't get a good connection and a poor TV picture will result. We take for granted all the electrical conveniences in this life, but let one wire come loose in your panel box and it can cut power to many places in your home. It's easy to understand the mechanical connections needed in our lives. It's a little harder to explain the need for connections with other people. Whether you like it or not, and I'm an admitted introvert, you need connections with other people to maintain your mental, physical, and spiritual health. We need other people to push us, challenge us, and just hear us out sometimes. The right friend can be the connection needed to challenge you to loose those twenty extra pounds. A good friend is the connection you need to push you to go after that job you've always wanted. And a true friend will let you download your inner thoughts and be a conduit to feeling normal again. Unfortunately, today's society teaches us to disconnect from others. The idea that we should all stay in our homes and never venture out to befriend the neighbor is a real connection killer. The fact that we think it's acceptable to go to church and just look at the back of some body's head, is scary in the sense that we don't value human input. Do you know any of the parents of your kid's classmates? What a great way to connect and share parenting experiences. You just might find out you are not all alone in this child rearing experiment.
Connections require maintenance, effort and work. There's the old saying that a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link. You need to check your friendships, family, and other relationships regularly to see if there's in work needed to improve those connections. Don't fall for the me versus the world attitude. Isolation is a very bad thing for your overall health. Maintain good connections with people and make new ones every chance you get. The positive flow made by good connections with people can be just as important as the flow of electrons across your computer screen. So I hope you take the time to work on your healthy, solid connections today. It will serve you well.
