ego based connection

It took me a long time to decide where I wanted this painting to go.  At first, I wanted them to be facing each other.  As I started to paint, the woman faded further back and her eyes fell downward. The man turned from connected to pensive and distant.  There is an undefined connection between them that is blurred by their attachment to self.  They think they are open to one another, but are closed in by their own desires.  Each one has a different idea of what their connection means and the purpose it serves.
This painting represents my current view on relationships.  It expresses their ability to bring two people into proximity without creating an actual connection between them.  Everyone has a view of the world that is completely their own.  They base their reality on their own perception and focus on the role that they, as an individual, play.  This can make having an actual connection with someone nearly impossible.  I have been asking myself what it is that I want from all of my connections with friends, family, and acquaintances.  Above all, it seems to be approval.  Why would I want to have a partner in life?  So that I can come home to one person who wants to listen to my stories and reassure me that I am loved and valuable.
I drive home from my class at the monastery with a retired French teacher in her 70's who separated from her husband 7 years ago when he ran away with another woman.  Last Friday, on our drive down from the mountain, she said something that resonated with me.  She said that after she had had a rough day caused by a dispute with her brother, she went back to her apartment and really missed her husband.  She explained that he was always very attentive to her and could tell when she was not feeling well.  He would ask her what was wrong and listen intently to her story.  After she had shared her version of reality, he would reassure her that she was correct and affirm the feelings that she was having.  In essence, he was the confirmation that her perspective was indeed the truth.  If I only want a relationship because it validates my perspective on the world, then my relationship will never form into a real connection.  In order to connect with others, I need to let go of my attachment to my own ego that is constantly seeking approval and validation.