Explaining the Intangible

People are always trying to explain what love, friendship, and other intangible things are. How do you describe something you can't touch or see? How can you explain something the exists only because you feel that it exists? Feelings are so subjective and they cannot be compared from person to person (or can they?). I'm not sure, but maybe that's why I like quotes so much. They provide me with validation that someone else, somewhere has felt the same way that I have. 

My good friend Jody posted this quote as her facebook status the other day:

"Real friendship or love is not manufactured or achieved by an act of will or intention. Friendship is an act of recognition...two souls suddenly recognize each other. It could be a meeting on the street, or at a party...suddenly there is the flash of recognition.... There is an awakening between you, a sense of ancient knowing." ~ John O'Donohue

A quote by C.S. Lewis says “Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one.'”

These quotes provide an interesting perspective on friendship/love. I'm intrigued that I can have the type of intense connection that both quotes discuss over and over again (to varying degrees), with different types of people. That "flash of recognition," the instance when I'm communicating with someone and I pick up on something they say (or something they don't say) that I can relate to on a deep level, is powerful, and fun, and worth reflecting on.

I used to form a lot of superficial relationships. Not on purpose, at least not on a conscious level. But, I was subconsciously drawn to people who didn't ask me too many questions about my life, because I wasn't yet ready to start answering questions. In the past few years, I've changed a lot. I've grown a lot. I've learned a lot. I'd like to think I've always been an inclusive, warm person, but I'm now more receptive to that "flash of recognition." I try to spend more time appreciating how much I can relate to other people, but I'm also encountering the next step (which corresponds with my last post) which is learning how to let people go. I'm working on valuing time spent and relationships built with people even if it is only for a short time.