Have you ever had the experience of meeting someone, and after a 
few minutes of conversation, settled into the feeling of having 
known that person all you life?  This sort of incident – an 
immediately strong emotional connection – is quite rare.  It’s 
happened to me on two occasions, and in both cases, resulted in 
long-term friendships.

Why is there an instant connection with some people and not 
others?  It seems that it is easier to relate to people who are 
open to wanting to get to know another.  There is a certain 
chemistry that simply happens when individuals are tuned into 
each other.  Both experience it simultaneously.

There is also a school of thought that says we are destined 
to have certain people in our lives.  Perhaps that’s why some 
interactions don’t seem to make a lot of sense.  When we try 
to force relationships that shouldn’t happen, the end result 
is usually trouble.

No where has this been more obvious than on the new “reality 
television” shows.  It is not realistic to place people in an 
artificial environment and expect them to instantly bond on an 
intimate level.  These programs may have found such a large 
audience because the premise of what they are doing is so 
peculiar.

People learn to relate on different levels.  There are times 
when relationships are formed without even seeing the other 
person.  Pen pals and telephone conversations, while not usually 
an instant connection, can quickly develop into so much more.  
Physical components don’t get in the way, and true personalities 
can emerge.

On the other hand, many attractions start out as purely physical. 
In order to endure, they must transcend beyond this level, 
because images change as we age.  Special friendships go beyond 
the superficial to the essence of the people we are.