Surrounded

Constantly we come into contact with others. I ordered a coffee, asked for someone to keep an eye on my laptop, had someone ask me if a chair was taken, and happened to see someone I know all within an hour.

But sometimes it is when I am constantly around people I feel the most distant. Unfortunately, I don't have an insanely impressive vocabulary to articulate everything that is going through my mind. At least it makes sense up there (kinda).

It goes something like this though: the more people are around and the less connection that actually occurs, the more I (and others I'm sure too) get lost in the crowd. Yes, little contacts occur. But where's the connection? The chemistry?

Sometimes, I think it's this epidemic spreading in the Pacific Northwest. We are so surrounded by our business, selfishness, and our own interests that we somehow forget to just say "hello" to another person... simply because they are another human and deserve a bit of recognition.

Sometimes I smile at a person - and they look lost, confused. "A smile? Who does that anymore?"

YES! A smile. Goodness. It should just be a common thing. "How are you?" is reserved for people we know - and even though we normally could care less. Families and friends get the brunt of our aggravations while strangers receive a slight formality which is barely civic. And honest, genuine love? It is somehow reserved for those who smash down every hurt, broken trust, and the simple hustle and bustle of life.

So I conclude with this: smile at someone. Say hello to someone. And when you say "how are you?", mean it. And then.... just listen.