practical inquiry regarding meaning » concrete conditions » community
Love is the goal here—a condition of maximal openness with respect to others as practiced through the reciprocal sharing of what we value most. Like all of the L-phase nodes, this begins with our immediate circle—in this case, with friends and family—but can then extend outward to encompass broader circles of others. Of course, we'll never want to intimately share ourselves with just anyone, but tuning into that possibility will allow us to feel at home whomever we're with.
Naturally, working on social skills will help. Sharing love is a form of reciprocity, where each party adjusts to the other's sharing style then together challenge each other to explore new sharing styles that will allow them to open up more. This takes a great deal of practice, trial and error, courage to be vulnerable, and resiliency when hurt.
Cultivating friendships is key. Not only will friends provide a supportive network during tough times, friendships should be the core of any loving relationship. Friendships need to be maintained. Practices will thus include making the deliberate effort to stay connected with those we love.
