"On Connections" by Danelle B

     At right about the age of seventeen, many may begin to hear from their elders that in order
to make it in life you need to have connections. One’s ability to make connections can ultimately
bring them a lot of success. From a purely biological standpoint, every living organism is connected
with one another, stemming from one common ancestor. In Webster’s dictionary, the most
common meaning for the word connection is defined as, “something that joins or connects two or
more things.” While all these instances embody the utmost truth, I believe that a much deeper
meaning and significance lies in the connections one can experience within life.
     In my belief, one will experience much difficulty finding happiness without making
connections. This means not the skill of networking nor the anatomical similarities living things
share, but the sense of connecting your experiences with other situations in the world. Too many
times in life do we encounter ingenuine relations with others for individual’s own personal gain,
show through the unreliability politics and business. We fail to consider the importance of creating
deep connections and their benefits, whether these connections are made between two people, an
individual and nature, or possibly between someone and their favorite fictional character, every
possibility to make connections in the world can lead to fulfillment. The human need for emotional
association allows for the success of far-fetched books, movies, and video games, why social media
has become so prominent in society. Many of us become so hooked on such stories in order to
connect ourselves to more unfamiliar instances and so interested in others’ lives so as to feel
connected to those we do not regularly encounter. In even the deepest tragedy, one’s ability to
empathize with another ordeal can act as a source of relief or sanctuary, allowing them to know that
they are not alone. In these times, when we view the news and hear people against each other due to
the most insignificant divisions, when too many adolescents go throughout their school years feeling
completely alienated, to know that we are not alone can impact our outlooks immensely.
      By creating a relation between yourself and another in life, you view the world more fully, as
it shows that although both you and this subject share something in common, many differences can
still lie between you. Therefore, this leads individuals to a broader view of life and its possibilities.
This further shows individuals to consider the repercussions of their own actions, for their behavior
can conclusively affect those around them. From such extended knowledge, we are able to draw
conclusions from other experiences and develop our own character. Ultimately, philosophy can be
built not only from personal experience, but alternately from the experiences of others, so long as
you can thoroughly empathize with these ordeals. In my understanding, to make connections means
much more than networking with those of higher social status who cares not for you nor you for
them. It does in fact mean, “ something that joins or connects two or more things,” as Webster’s
states, but in relation to the world, it means to unite individuals with a common cause, whether it be
something small, like your favorite novel, or your doctrine towards love. Connecting with others in
life and making the attempt to understand them can fundamentally advance humanity into a more
compassionate and empathetic environment.