Ronit,

When it comes to family, friends and acquaintances I find myself not always sure about the purpose of relationships. Should relations be goal oriented or does that interfere with being. Simply what is the purpose of relationships? I have my own thoughts but feel I can improve and want to hear yours to get grounded and release social distortion.

Jodan

Jodan

Relationships play a huge role in shaping who we are. It is through relationships that we learn about ourselves. It is in the context of relationships that we experience whether we are kind, generous, open minded, forgiving, funny, sensitive, etc. Relationships are our main source of reflections for who and how we are in the world.

On an emotional level, healthy relationships provide us with nourishment, support, encouragement and an overall sense that we are not alone in the world. They teach us through role modeling or constructive communications how to respond to difficult situations and solve problems.

You are right that most of us bring many distortions into our relationships. These distortions are generally developed in our childhood and are carried by us into our adulthood. They can only be cleared up when we are willing to be vulnerable with another human being and expose our fears and insecurities to them. This is what intimacy is all about.

This is obviously a very big topic. Since your question was very general, I am responding to you in a general manner. If you have a more specific question regarding a relationship, feel free to ask me.

Best,
Ronit