OyChicago blog

As I inch further into 5775, my thoughts focus on relationships. Specifically, how I connect to my family, friends, my Creator, and myself.

Most will agree that it's way easier to make connections with others in today’s age. It's as easy as the swiping of a finger or the click of a button to link, friend, and follow someone. It's a way to connect. It's not how our parents did it, but it counts.

This ease of connecting is probably an attractive advantage to social network relationships. If you don't reach out and make an effort, that's ok because effort isn't expected. A simple "like" or "favorite" speaks digital volumes. It's a very low-maintenance situation and we need that once in a while. However, applying that minimal effort into other relationships isn't optimal.

The strength of any connection is really based on the effort exerted. I know from experience. There are times when I don't put as much effort as necessary into those that I love and the connection ends up becoming a barrier. Then – and this is the crazy part – I end up using twice as much energy to break down the barrier just to start over again with building that connection.

As we take our first steps into a new, fresh, and happy year, I hope that we are able to strengthen the connections that mean the most to us.