Connections

I have made my way through life, continuously meeting new folks and totally appreciating those connections. However, I've been pondering whether or not there has been a moment when I suddenly realized that those connections are really what this is all about. After much thought, I think it had to be during my trip overseas last summer (2004). My friend, Mikey, and I did some real soul searching over there...both being very self-reflective and expressive. So, we decided early into our trip that we'd create a theme of sorts, threading everything together with an awesome Beatles tune--"All You Need is Love." At random moments, one of us would break into this song; this usually happened when we were seeing something new and fantastic. It was sort of like our code language for, "Dude, this is sweet." The picture below is undoubtedly one of the examples of these moments. We took a day trip to Northern Ireland, and we were able to stand at this point and see Scotland...how cool is that? But, I believe this is when I realized that a series of moments such as this one is what makes life. So, allowing those moments to soak down to your soul is so important. One of my favorite authors, Virginia Woolf, meditated on this very idea and concluded that she thought life was all about this series of apparently disjunct moments; thus, her focus on stream of consciousness.

I can't help but feel that these moments have to have some sort of thread moving through them. I'm beginning to feel, very strongly, that this journey is sort of about seeking out the essence of that thread.

What got me thinking about this? Well, I talked with a dear friend last night who has just made the move to Phoenix, AZ. She's feeling so many of the same feelings that I've been experiencing over the past months, and like several other instances of commanality, which helped form our friendship, we're able to connect on the deepest level. I am convinced that we were placed in one another's sphere for very important reasons...so this helps answer for me why, eight or more years ago, we crossed paths. My goal from here on out is to form the same meaningful bond with those who I meet and really click with here on out. This is what makes life right. It's not about gaining power and glory...it's about sharing those connections with others that make each of us human. And now I must go forge bonds with the delightful Borders customers who provide my job security...