I have, for a long time, lived by, and shared, some fundamental truths. Some of them sound silly to others, like my rule for eating when standing at a party. That one is “eat the color you’re wearing,” which is shorthand for remembering that whatever you’re eating might end up on you. And, if you are like me, and a little too much of a perfection seeker, it can throw off your whole night!

I use a frequently shared truth of my mother’s on a regular basis. Mom would always say, in response to a challenging or charged situation, “Take the high moral ground.” That’s not easy to do when you really want to sink to the level of the situation or the opponent, but it is, without question, the better strategy.

But the absolute truth that I have learned, and reinforced, over my life and career, is that life is all about relationships. This is true on so many different levels. I think of them as concentric circles in a diagram of life. The central most circle is clearly your significant other, if you are blessed enough to have one. And the next close ring is children, parents, siblings, close friends—all those who are your loved ones. And beyond that, ring after ring of people you’ve met, of relationships you’ve formed, of those who connect with your life in different ways.

On a personal level, those outer rings are people you may only still be connected with through social media or an annual holiday card. You likely live in different places and lead lives that no longer intersect the way they once did. Yet, if you have an experience like the one I had recently, finding yourself in the same geography as a high school friend I hadn’t seen in decades, the years fall away and the friendship still exists.

On a professional level, relationships are often in the “I know someone” category. Whether it is to bounce an idea, to find help with resources, to share concepts, to commiserate, to make a connection, or to solve a problem—having relationships is vital. Having colleagues who are there for you is a lifeline. Being there for them, as well, is a privilege.

There are lots of schools of thought around “networking” and collecting contacts. It’s a way to find new jobs, a way to build careers. I have never been that deliberate about it. I feel more as if my relationships are a collection of people in my life, incredible, wonderful, talented, caring people who have helped me and whom I help whenever I can.

At the end of the day, what we have and what we do is fleeting. But the relationships we build, and nurture, last forever. They are the strength, and the center, of our full hearts.