It really isn't living.

Believe me. It's an adventure. Getting to know my neighbors. Or anyone. Little by little. Bit by bit. Makes for an interesting life. Much of my life I've ignored people. Relatively speaking. Oh, I become acquainted. But I don't make friends. In truly intimate ways. Which means I don't have many friends. Because I have often stopped short of true intimacy. Don't get me wrong about the intimacy thing. I don't mean physical intimacy. Instead, true intimacy is a spiritual thing. Delving into one's soul. One's essence. That's true nakedness. One can find intimacy with words. Meaningful words. That's my favorite way. I write words. And speak words. I'm capable of uttering intimate words. Even to strangers. That's how one cultivates contact. Real communication. So much of life is lived by rote. By going through motions. Mechanically. Yes, with no passion. No intimacy. I find that shameful. It really isn't living. --Jim Broede