One word, one thought, one action bears the seeds of
connection. These connections may be a
brief conversation or the seeds may take root as the connection grows into a
longer, deeper relationship. Because of
a denim jacket, a 90 second conversation scattered seeds that hold the
potential to grow into a friendship.
Yesterday at Starbuck’s, the hotbed of connecting with the
intimate stranger, a woman wearing a stylish denim jacket sat adjacent to me. I
told her how much I liked that jacket.
The conversation soon evolved. A
seed took root — both of us are authors
who are deeply committed to living compassionately and guiding others into a
more compassionate experience.
Because of a denim jacket, I connected. With courage and curious daring, I chose to
not react by avoiding eye contact and unconsciously putting up barriers. Instead, I shared. If the woman thought it was a little strange
that I approached her; well, that was okay.
It wasn’t as if I was developing a sustainable friendship. And, if I connected on a deeper level, that
was okay, too. The jacket was a
catalyst…a trigger point with which I could reach out to another.
Her friend arrived; my friend arrived. Both of us went on our ways. I left feeling buoyed with joy and
happiness. The residual uncertainty and
sadness that is a part of me was pushed out of the crevices of my being. It dissipated in the light of compassionate
sharing. In that connection, I
alleviated some of my own personal suffering.
Life moved beyond the mundane into the extraordinary. All this happened because of a denim jacket.
Responding to our inner voice, sharing with a stranger,
weaves us together in expected and unexpected ways that form community. The tendrils of the weave glow with the
embers of our divine sparks. The inner
light of connectivity shines in ways we no longer ignore.
How will you respond to the next denim jacket that comes
your way?
Looking forward with possibility,
Vanessa
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