There is something about fingers touching strings, particularly classical and flamenco guitar music, that captures the essence of the spiritual practice of connections. Listen to a guitar fingering stylist like Peppino D'Agostino to see what we mean. On his album Close to the Heart, good examples are "Higher Connections, " "Samba Marina," and "London Skies."

American pop artist Claes Oldenberg's giant steel Clothespin reminds us that connections are made through ordinary, everyday things. By exaggerating its size, the artist encourages us to value this household object. It is a simple tool that can secure a sock to a clothesline, but it is also a symbol of an embrace, reminding us of how we connect with other people.