My Precious

Rave...

On one had I very much understand what you are saying -- we can only know ourselves absolutely.

On the other hand, there is something truly amazing in building relationships with others. I feel like the risk is worth the reward... perhaps 9 times out of 10, people disappoint or turn out to be not what they seemed, what you had hoped, or whatever really... but that 10th time, that person is amazing and they are someone that sticks with you through thick and thin. That's just my approach as I really do believe that everyone comes in and out of our lives for reasons... and these reasons help us grow, help us live, help us find ourselves and for that... each of these people are precious in their own right.

I wish I could believe you EPjake.....sorry, my own experience tells another story.

No one is an island, whatever we think. We are monkey troupes, herds of simians. We connect because that's what we do best. We sit in the branches, eating the fleas off each other's hides :)

So many disappointments occur simply because we are such social animals.

I love my family, and there's nothing that could sunder our relationship with each -- but the relationships I've created and fostered are so utterly important to whom I am, where I am, how I am at any given moment.

You need not trust everyone. Just don't close that door!