One of the books I read while we were at Tahoe was “The Dance of Intimacy” by Harriet Goldhor Lerner, Ph.D. She says, “An intimate relationship is one in which neither party silences, sacrifices, or betrays the self and each party expresses strength and vulnerability, weakness and competence in a balanced way.”
Based on this definition I wonder how many people achieve intimacy. That is definitely our goal if we hope our relationships will evolve into true soul mate status.
“Intimacy is not about that initial ‘Velcro stage’ of relationships,” according to Dr. Lerner. “It is only in long-term relationships that we are called upon to navigate that delicate balance between separateness and connectedness and that we confront the challenge of sustaining both–without losing either when the going gets rough.”
