What's the Shape of Your Body of Relationships?

Man is a knot into which relationships are tied. ~Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Relationships are the parts that make up the body of our lives.

They are different and distinct parts of our existence. Each has an important purpose that we can choose to nurture or neglect. Some with potential harm to us if ignored. Here's a little list I put together taking this analogy further for your consideration:

• Blood relationships:  These can be life-giving or tainted.  Must be fed and monitored.  Can change on you quickly and become poisoned or weak.
• Bone relationships:  They are your structure that holds you together.  If there's a break, it takes time and care to heal, but they must mend for you to walk correctly again.  If you decide to avoid the cast, you'll be stricken with a limp that you will eventually not be able to hide.
• Appendage relationships: Arms, legs, feet, handsGive and take relationships.  The movement that brings you to action. They keep you from being stagnant.  
• Muscles and Ligament Relationships: Give us strength and endurance, but can also be painful.  Need to be stretched and exercised, or they start to get flabby and disappear, which isn't good because they keep us challenged.
• Vital Organ relationships: These are those you can't live without.  You might lose a piece - and save enough to continue - but you'll always notice the absence.  They can be damaged, and this will upset the whole of your life system.  They are fewer in number because they take so much energy and attention to sustain.  They also need you as much as you need them, an important distinction from the others.
• The Extra baggage relationships: Wrinkles, blemishes, stretch marks and cellulite.These guys are there to remind you that nobody's perfect.  They usually come alongside some other relationship and are just part of the deal.  We do what we can to make them not be the focus of our life, but they can take a great deal of unnecessary attention.  We can neglect the other more important parts spending too much time trying to figure them out.

When it comes to what's most important to you, actions speak louder than words.

Are your vital relationships getting the attention they require to remain healthy, or are you neglecting them while you stress over extra baggage?  Are you putting each in their proper perspective and allowing them only hold the power and influence they deserve?  

As you are planning your week, pencil in some time for staying in good relationship health.

Cheers.