Enjoy the wealth of making a connection

Making connections comes naturally for people who belong to Toastmasters,
including Ray Metz and Harold Vroman. Photo by Liz Cezat.

One of the most pleasing aspects of life is to make a genuine connection with the people around you. No matter what your circumstances – rich, poor, sick, healthy, young, old or middle-aged – if you can relate to people in a humane and compassionate manner, you are golden and so are the people you come in contact with.

The connections go beyond words; they encompass actions and attitudes. It could be an 80-year-old grandmother, whose eyes crinkle with delight when you tell her how pretty she looks in her pink sweater. Or an infant just 8 days old, whose tiny fingers grasp yours as you bend down close and gaze into her eyes. It could be a janitor at a shopping mall who is listening to a Tigers’ game that prompts you to comment about the team’s winning streak – bringing a wide smile to his face. It could be an agency intern doing on-site work at your corporate location who appears to lack confidence; yet when you tell her that you appreciate her efforts, there’s a glow of delighted surprise on her face as she stands up taller.

My grand daughter Ellie being held for the
first time by fellow grand parent Mike Schultz.
Photo by Liz Cezat.

These are small interactions yet they allow us the opportunity to practice kindness and courtesy, and show genuine love for each other.

Take a moment to really interact with people in your life. Not just family and friends, but strangers – people who seemingly are totally different than you. I think you will find that when you reach out and touch someone: with kind words, holding a door open for them to pass through, or simply smiling, you will find real treasure.

Give it a try and report back on your experience. Don’t let shyness or being introverted stop you – seek to make a connection with real people today and every day.