An unavoidable truth in life is that things come and go. Sometimes it’s a thing you have or maybe a person you know. Know that although gone physically these things and individuals are not gone completely. They exist in the space that was your connection to them. 

Preserving these connections keeps these things and people with us long after they are gone. Some concrete approaches that I would recommend for getting the most out of these connections post exodus are first and foremost acknowledge the connection. Second reinforce or hold on to the connection. And finally, live!

Acknowledge the Connection

This may seem redundant to say but the first thing you need to do is acknowledge the connection. I make this step one as sometimes depending on the situation and circumstances that comprise it in that moment the connection may be interrupted.  It goes without saying that majority of the time we get caught up on the way these things and people leave us. 

A big hurdle for us to overcome is adjusting to these things no longer being tangibly accessible. Now they have transitioned to a new space in our lives. Acknowledging that connection and understanding that although blatantly different it can still hold the same value. 

Losing a loved one is never easy and for some can be the hardest transition in our lives. However, if we acknowledge the connection, we had with those who have passed on then we can start working towards a healthy way to cope with this new reality. 

Reinforce the Connection

Once you acknowledge the connection to whatever or whoever now it’s time to reinforce that connection. To do this you will have to do a little work. You see there’s an upside and a downside to every connection. It’s up to you which one you choose to work with. 

Holding on to the positive and impactful aspects of a connection is by far the best way to reinforce that connection. Utilize the happy and healthy memories as fuel for your own personal stability. For example, in the case of those who may have lost someone influential like a parent or a mentor. Do your best to remember the good times and the positive experiences that came from your connection. Incorporating the wisdom of others is a great way to instill a sense of closeness to that person. After a while you will start to see that those who are gone live on through those of us who keep the best parts of them alive through our walk in life. 

On the flip side to that should you find yourself consumed by the negative and hurtful experiences of any given connection then you’ll need to revisit these moments and do your best to find a sense of peace in them. Holding onto a bad memory can be seen as something to hold onto, yes. However, it is not healthy for us in the long run. Take some time and get to place where you can find a positive lesson from a negative situation. This succeeds in lessening the weight of it. Thus, making it a little easier to get over. It is possible to reinforce a connection by letting go of trauma and redefining who you become as a result. For that connection will now forever be the catalyst to your betterment. 

Live!

After you acknowledge and reinforce a connection now comes the truly scary part…you have to live on. I refer to this as scary only because it invokes the unknown and undefined. We tend to walk cautiously toward things we don’t know. However, in situations like these where you are having to learn to live in a new space, I encourage you to proceed with caution, yes, but please walk like you have a purpose and somewhere to be. 

The best way you can honor and commemorate those who are not with us is to live. And not just live in spite of but live because it is what’s best for you. Community and connection are ideals that are meant to make us better through the assimilation and association. Iron sharpens iron in a manner of speaking. 

The greatest reason I would encourage you to live is because our lives are meant for things bigger than us and people and things come into our lives for a season and a reason then once that season is over, they will move on. This is not cause for depression rather appreciation for the connection and what it ultimately produced… a better you. 

In Closing

One of the greatest gifts God has blessed us with is each other. These connections are unique and precious like a surprise gift. However much like an actual gift these connections change over time. People and things come and go throughout our lives. So, to preserve the connection you must first acknowledge it, then spend some time reinforcing it, and once you have done that it is time for you to live. If there is a silver lining, I would say that there is a connection that will never truly fade and that’s our connection to God. For even when we don’t acknowledge him, he still acknowledges us. Go forward and be blessed. You Got This!!!

The Gift of Connection video: https://youtu.be/2zuDbElPack