Refrigerator Rights Creating Connections and Restoring Relationships

Nominated for the Relationships 2002 Books for a Better Life Award Refrigerator Rights is more than a book. It is a message-about changing from a life of isolation to a life of connection. People need "refrigerator rights relationships"-the kind that are comfortable, informal, and intimate enough to let us walk into each other's kitchens and rummage through the refrigerator without asking. But nowadays, with factors like increased geographic mobility, an emphasis on individualism, and overwhelming media distractions, those relationships are rarer and rarer in our lives. That not only leaves us lonely and depressed; it can also strain the relationships we do have-as we depend too much on our spouses and children to fill the vacuum. With insight and empathy, Dr. Will Miller and Dr. Glenn Sparks explain this phenomenon-and advocate a change of lifestyle to restore the relationships we need in order to be well-adjusted and happy. They also offer specific suggestions for reaching out to those beyond our immediate family; balancing self-care and care for others; and re-establishing vital social networks. By getting comfortable with not being constantly "productive"-learning to go with the flow, take a detour, lose track of time in the company of friends and family-we can rediscover the nourishment of relaxed, naturally reciprocal relationships. These connections aren't an "extra." They're an essential part of who we are, and-contrary to current conventional wisdom-a crucial means to finding our identities and growing as individuals. No person is an island, as they say, and the people we let into our refrigerators are usually the same ones we let into our lives and our hearts. It's those "refrigerator rights relationships" that reduce our stress, lift our mood, revive our energy, and increase our capacity to love and work. This timely, important book identifies a missing piece in our modern lifestyles-and shows how we can break out of our isolation booths to create the kind of relationships that strengthen us, support us, and satisfy our souls.Miller, Will is the author of 'Refrigerator Rights Creating Connections and Restoring Relationships' with ISBN 9780399528309 and ISBN 039952830X.