associations, comforting irony

context of an association:
the very nature of interaction can often imply a sort of relation,
between people, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, or passerby's....
whether a bond is created, often comes with the passage of time; or does it?
can connections be immediate? if so, are connections based on context, or on something more?

as i watch people relate to one another, i'm fascinated.
my questions becomes:
are interactions rooted in the unconcious, the subconscious, or in motivation?
or, do interactions grow from visceral responses?

the way in which we interact and respond to one another, can bring about many things--
unexpected joy, inherent pain, mild annoyance, or simple pleasure.
often, a key factor is rooted in the element of surprise.
when we discover something new about another person, the " unexpected" can bring upon a transition, a turning point-- when we start to look at things differently.

what draws us to others? is it the spark? the warmth? an ease about them?

it is my speculation that the strength of a friendship has less, than we think, to do with how well we get along with someone than it does with how well we connect with someone.

it's true that "familiarity breeds company," or does "familiarity breeds contempt?"

one can know someone for years and be hurt by some surprising comment or action.
inversely, you can meet a stranger and find yourself smiling for the rest of the day.

many-a friendship has been broken over things falling outside our assumptions of character, or outside an assumed knowledge or trust.

many-a friendship has been sparked when we find ourselves somehow comforted by a stranger.

many-a romance has been ignited when we discover our passions have been flamed.

the element of surprise is often the discounted factor.

it is in these times of fast-moving technology and instant communication that we sometimes discover important relations can't be pre-programmed.

it is in these times of ongoing crisis, while grasping and while reaching for tangible explanations,that we find that things can't be predicted.

in a way, it's those surprising connections in humanity that provide us with comfort.
how ironic.