Listener question: Thank you for the podcast which I’ve just listened to again.  I’m still confused!  How is it that you know there’s protection going on here?  Is it because the reactions to my friend’s diagnosis and my Mother’s are different?  Is there really one, undiluted response that we can have to all situations, events, relationships?  Sounds a bit bland to me.  

Also, I don’t quite see that there’s a hierarchy of relatedness with family on the inside, then close friends etc.  I can feel real connection during a random interaction with a complete stranger.