Americans are the loneliest, most isolated people

[marions ghost]

200. I don't think of it as "others having answers"

I think of it as sharing yourself with others, and they with you, to the point that you find your own answers.

I am grateful to my parents for sharing some of their inner lives with me, and I felt it as a gift, not a burden. My father especially, saw no need to be protective and parental after the kids reached adulthood. He made a conscious effort to shuck off the parental role and just become a friend. It was a clear decision that he stated openly at one point. In a way it freed him up to grow too. But I realize that kind of interaction may feel too "close" and is not for everybody. Certainly it can go wrong if (for ex) parents use their children as emotional receptacles, but I'm not talking about something that extreme. Just friendship on an equal level.

The fear of some kind of abuse happening often keeps people from having closer ties with others. It can be a tricky balancing act. There is no right or wrong in this quest for positive give & take relationships. People do different things to cope with life and as long as it's a positive adaptation, that's fine. But we are talking about a significant segment of the population having problems because of the lack of fulfilling, supportive relationships with others. Social isolation is a growing phenomenon and it does have societal causes and implications. The ability to connect with others may have to be taught and encouraged in a society where trust is hard to find.

I guess I don't really believe we are alone in our journey. I think it's sad the way we are losing a sense of community and connectedness. It doesn't need to be burdensome. It can be 100% positive to feel a part of something larger than yourself.

NNTR--I'm just expounding on what you said. Nothing personal.