Communication for Connection

I recently talked to a friend about one of their relationships with someone they're close to. Essentially, the relationship is in trouble, and my friend is having some difficulty even talking about it. Yet, communication, from both sides, is essential for developing and maintaining relationships. If we want to develop new relationships and maintain the relationships we have, we need to be willing to talk to each other, even about difficult subjects, and to listen without judgement. We need to be willing to apologize when we need to apologize and to accept apologies when we feel that we are owed apologies. We need to be willing to communicate.

Of course, our willingness to communicate may not be enough. Relationships go both ways. If either person is willing to communicate and the other isn't, the relationship will be difficult, if not impossible, to maintain. And if neither person is willing to communicate, it's difficult to argue that they even still have a relationship. There has to be communication in order to maintain a connection.

I hope that my friend can help restore their relationship with the person close to them, but even if they can't, I hope we all can learn how to maintain our relationships with others, which I believe is accomplished mostly by being willing to communicate and to encourage others to communicate freely as well.