Hi Lauren, I liked your article. This has certainly been a big area of learning for me. At one point I believed I wanted to live a monastic lifestyle, and didn't engage much with people outside of my spiritual community. That had its place for me, and helped me to discover many things about myself, as well as helping me get centered and empowered. But I feel it's really been the last 10 years, when I've married, had kids, and gotten very involved in my community with many different people coming in and out of my life, that it has all come together. Each relationship brings new issues/lessons to the surface. It's different for each of us, but this kind of engagement has been a huge part of my path. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
