Imaginary Relationships

       Ever catch yourself having an imaginary conversation with someone?  Maybe, you're rehearsing.  Maybe, just daydreaming.

       To some extent, every relationship – especially every relationship in its early stages – is an imaginary one.  We carry in our imaginations a picture of each other, a story we create – a story that is sparse, sometimes, on actual experience of each other and heavy on projection from within ourselves.  For example, the story I carry about you may say more about me, my desires or my fears, than it does about you.

       While I'm not likely to stop creating stories about you, I can try not to get too attached to them.  I can keep my feet on the ground and my eyes, ears and heart engaged with you – ready to experience you as you are, ready to discard or revise my story as you unfold in the reality of the moment. 

        Imagination is a wonderful gift.  It brings beauty to life.  Getting to know someone means getting real.  That's beautiful, too.