The Practice of Connection
What travel, transition, and trust are teaching me now
#40
Connection can happen in so many ways.
Through long lunches with friends who hold space without fixing.
Through a smile exchanged in the Costco checkout line.
Through meeting a stranger on a bus in Vietnam who shares a similar story — and deciding to grab a coffee when the ride ends. (Tim’s connection moment this week.)
These moments remind us that we are not alone.
So much of the discord we see in the world is designed to make us forget how deeply connected we actually are — how much more alike we are than different. When we remember that we are part of one shared human experience, connection becomes a choice we can return to again and again, even when it takes effort.
After another week of steep learning curves in my new role at work — stretching myself, absorbing new processes, and integrating methodologies that align beautifully with my values — I found myself deeply nourished by two meaningful connections over the span of two days. Three-hour lunches. No rushing. Real presence.
The first was with a childhood friend I grew up with here outside of Dallas. We reminisced, caught up on decades of life, talked about kids and parents, her wife, and Tim — and marveled at how life has a way of circling back around. I moved away at thirteen and hadn’t truly returned until now. It felt strange, tender, and a little disorienting. Not because I had longed to come back — Texas was never “home” in that way for me — but because the timing, circumstances, and energy all aligned to make this the right place for now.
The second connection was with a woman I knew through my previous work. We’d stayed loosely connected through social media, and I had coached her in the past. Sitting across from her, hearing her reflect back the impact of that support, was a beautiful affirmation. Our conversation flowed easily and deeply — the kind that feels like a continuation rather than a beginning. It reminded me how energy recognizes energy, even when time and distance are involved.
These moments — along with the support I received while buying my car last weekend — represent a newer way of being for me. I was never a natural joiner. I often lived on the periphery, self-contained and self-sufficient. One of my intentions in beginning this chapter here was to allow myself to be part of something larger — to cultivate connection rather than independence as a default.
As we grow and evolve, people naturally move in and out of our lives. It’s not random. It’s energetic. We meet one another when the vibration aligns. One thing I’ve learned to trust deeply is my ability to listen for the next right step — and then move. That trust was mirrored back to me this week, reinforcing something I now sometimes forget: this way of living is no longer new to me. It’s just natural.
Allowing connection also means allowing vulnerability. Letting go of old protective habits. Increasing my tolerance for people and for closeness. During periods of deep emotional healing, I simply didn’t have the bandwidth to be around others. This season feels different. Fuller. More open. And that feels like real progress.
Ten months of travel in the last fifteen has also taught me how to allow in a very embodied way. When you’re on the road, so much is out of your control — flight delays, extreme weather, unfamiliar beds, flat pillows. You’re constantly invited to loosen your grip. To hold intentions lightly and release expectations altogether. It’s a freeing way to move through the world, especially as old structures fall away and more truth rises to the surface.
Choosing connection — with friends old and new — is one way I continue to participate in what feels like a larger collective shift. One heart-to-heart moment at a time.
As Valentine’s Day approaches this week, and as we move toward a potent convergence of the Lunar New Year, a New Moon, and a Solar Eclipse next Tuesday, I feel a gentle (and sometimes loud) invitation in the air. As the Year of the Snake completes its final shedding, may you remember this:
You are worthy of all that you desire.
Your Light matters.
And connection, however you choose to offer it, is a powerful way to share that Light with the world.
To your highest and best,
Dianna
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