Connection Deficit Disorder from the Mountain Top!

The hungry mouth is the last to get fed.

~ Kelly Bryson

I Have a Disease

Before you leave this page or go for the latex gloves, know that I’m not contagious.  I am coming forth today to say that I suffer from Connection Deficit Disorder.

This affliction is one that has it’s roots on the inside and it can’t be transmitted to others. It shows it’s ugly head when I interact with people from a space of scarcity — a place of lack.  When I come from this place, I have observed that people are much less willing to be around me — I become the “hungry mouth” in Kelly Bryson’s quote.

In contrast, when I come from a place of abundance — when I move through the illusion that any of my needs are unmet — others are attracted to me!  My birthday celebrations remind me that I have been flowery for the last six months as I add more bouquets to a very fragrant life.

What is Connection?

Connection is a code word used frequently by people who practice Compassionate Connection (CC).  It is classified in this work as a human “need” which means it is a label for “life energy” that motivates behavior.  Other needs include safety, clarity, and understanding.

For me, connection is the quality of being when two parties fully understand each other’s perspective.  When this need is met, both parties open to choosing actions that honor both of their needs.  Connection build a foundation for compassionate living between people.

How can Someone Meet this Need?

Like all human needs, the need for connection can be met in innumerable ways.  It can be met through interactions with others, nature, and/or oneself.

I like to meet this need by having people in my life.  Over the weekend my two favorite people stayed with me (Katie Pierce and Leonard McCain) and my CDD disappeared from my internal radar screen.  I discovered this insight before and during my Wednesday Morning hike with my good friend.  Often I want to talk and he wants silence.  On Wednesday, I was in a place of serenity and silence was wonderful.  My life-energy “stomach” was full after several days of feeding by those I care for.

Here’s the video from the top of South Fortuna Mountain

Do you experience CDD?  When is yours the hungry mouth?

The top of the mountain is a vitalizing place.  When we take the “mountain-top” experience with us and integrate it into our lives, we run the risk of living our daily lives as if we never left the mountain.  That’s when we Communicate with Heart.