These are some great thoughts, Glen! I think many of us suffer from a fear of upsetting others. Or, we don't want to feel "in trouble." We believe our silence is keeping the peace or making the other party more comfortable. The reality is that true intimacy depends on shared feelings - and on "hearing" each other, as you note. But if we don't share, we don't create the safe space for others to feel they can be heard. This is a good reminder to say what we feel (kindly, gently - not in a mean way) - and to be open. The path to intimacy is openness.