this unfolding leaves us emptier and even more incomplete than we were to begin with because we try to fill our own beings with the pieces that actually belong to others.

Dearest Jaynie, so much comes to mind here; so many in this world seem to skate by as posers and pretenders. So few seem to have/acquire the wisdom to realize that the perfection is actually in the IMperfection; pretension is not necessary.

Alas, it often feels like most of the world lacks the fortitude and self-confidence to be purely themselves and to allow the world to see that they are not "all that, and a bag of chips. We're all wounded; damaged; road-worn; imperfect.

No, we can never hope to "make" anyone or anything fit... it either does, or it doesn't. Anything else is a deception; a deception of both ourselves as well as another. Not only is it a deception, but it can also become a path towards a compromise we should not be making.

Authentic and deep connection based on perfect mutual transparency is one of the rarest treasures in the library of human experience... when we find it, we must grab it with both hands and hold on!

Sadly, few have the patience and end up "settling," telling themselves a "story" that is not true, and which they will regret, somewhere down the road.

xo