I was out for my usual morning run and found myself in the late ­summer heat, thirsty. If only I had taken a 1 bottle. After I stopped under a bridge to shelter myself from the sun for a moment of 2, I saw two young, 3 men standing next to their sleeping bags. One smiled and gently 4 his hand as if he were about to say hello, but he didn't say a word. He wasn't asking for 5. I smiled and raised my hand, too.

    As I started back on my 6, I thought about how much we all 7 to connect with other people. At that moment, this homeless man seemed to want to connect with someone else 8food or money.

    We have all had 9of feeling separate and lonely. I once felt lonely being in a relationship that 10 an emotional connection. Feeling separated doesn't have anything to do with being alone, 11 is about the human desire to feel 12by being seen and valued by another person.

    We all 13from connection. That homeless man affected my day. After meeting him, I felt more grateful and it made me 14all that I have. He made me feel concerned for him. I had the choice to move toward 15or connection. Separation is looking at the homeless person and focusing on how 16he looks. Connection is understanding that he influenced my day by 17to me. I can 18times in my life when, like him, I was in a situation I had never expected. There have been times when I felt down, and times when I needed someone to 19what he was doing and say hello to me.

    Pay attention today and notice whether you tend to move toward separation or toward connection. If your tendency is to spend time alone, 20saying "yes" to invitations. Practice moving toward rather than away from people.