Curious about Connection: We All Have Many Connections – with Others, with Groups, with Businesses, with Communities, and Now with Social Media

Definition of Connection: The act of connecting, or the state of being connected; junction; union; alliance; relationship. That which connects or joins together; bond; tie. A relation; esp. a person connected with another by marriage rather than by blood; -- used in a loose and indefinite, and sometimes a comprehensive, sense. The persons or things that are connected; as, a business connection.

“Communication - the human connection - is the key to personal and career success.” - Paul Meyer, French writer

Monday, July 13th was my birthday. It started on Sunday. When I checked my profile page, there were all sorts of birthday wishes from my Facebook friends. And, WOW, by Tuesday I had birthday greetings and wishes for close to 300 people. What, you ask, does this have to do with connection?

When I started thinking about what a treat this was, I realized that a year ago I was not on Facebook and not connected to my great group of friends there from all over the world. It has also spurred me on to become involved with Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Digg.

However, the more I thought about connection, I decided to make a list of all of the connections I have and have established over the years in many different ways. I urge you to make a “Connection List.” Start with family and close friends. Then, people you work with or for; people you see on a regular basis; neighbors; those from organizations, clubs, and groups to which you belong; those you have met over the Internet; and on and on.

Use this list to decide to re-establish contact with some of the people from your past. Ask yourself which people on your list you would like to get to know better. What new group or organization you would like to join? You get the idea. There is a plethora of areas of connection. Try them and add some new excitement and adventure to your life.

Don’t worry, I found many great and interesting quotations about connection:

• “I always think it's interesting to dig a little bit deeper every time you go to someplace that seems like a revelation or a strong connection to an emotional truth.” - Carly Simon, American musician
• “I think there's some connection between absolute discipline and absolute freedom.” - Alan Rickman, British actor
• “It is paradoxical that many educators and parents still differentiate between a time for learning and a time for play without seeing the vital connection between them.” - Leo Buscaglia, American author
• “A leader who loses his connection to his people soon loses the ability to lead them.” - Robert Ley, German soldier
• “Everybody laughs the same in every language because laughter is a universal connection.” - Yakov Smirnoff, Russian comedian
• “Fishing provides that connection with the whole living world. It gives you the opportunity of being totally immersed, turning back into yourself in a good way. A form of meditation, some form of communion with levels of yourself that are deeper than the ordinary self.” - Ted Hughes, English poet

Two more – both from American singers – to take with you:

“I learned again that the mind-body-spirit connection has to be in balance.” - Wynonna Judd, American musician

“I think people are isolated because of the nature of human consciousness, and they like it when they feel the connection between themselves and someone else.” - James Taylor, American musician

I would love to hear about your “Connection List.”