Chance meetings bring such great people into your life :)
At the reception, a woman approached me from behind as I watched some of the younger guests dance. She asked if she could tell me something and bestowed upon me a great compliment I quickly tucked into my heart and let its warmth fill my soul. I had never met her but knew just from her energy I liked her.
Chance meeting, new friend, WAY cool lady. I love when the universe does this!
We stood and talked about a number of things but commented to each other in the conversation that people just do not share these things with each other...the kind of sweet words that her compliment had been. The random kindnesses that let people know that they are wonderful despite their foibles and warts. The loving words that let people know that they are valued and loved and special on any given day. And it doesn't matter if you know them or not. We just don't do it...why?
The lady that stepped up behind me at this wedding was courageous in her outreach and love. What if I had been drunk and rude? (Been there, done that at times...) What if I had given her a cold shoulder and walked away? She and her loving heart took a chance and walked up to a total stranger to offer up kind words that I will treasure the rest of my days. And I hope that we will remain in touch to share kind and fun words with each other.
Our conversation brought to mind a quote that sits here on my desk:
Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.
--Mother Teresa
Why is it that we do not do this more often? Is it the pace of which life passes these days? Is it the stress we experience from many sources? Have we lost the concept of reaching out with love and compassion to people to let them know, even a stranger, that they are valued and loved and wonderful? Do we truly understand the concept of how incredibly large it could be to someone to have that tiny "reach out" from someone. Anyone. A stranger. Family.
At the wedding I also had the chance to reconnect with a beautiful young woman who was/is a sorority daughter from years ago. I ran into her a month ago at the bridal brunch and she shared that she was going through an event that is a life change and not much fun for most people (out of respect, I won't divulge details.) My heart ached knowing this gorgeous, talented young women might be having rough days, but I hesitated not wanting to overstep my bounds. I simply offered up that if she needed anything I was there.
At the wedding events and weekend, I was blessed enough to have more time with her and enjoy her laughter and love in the glow of celebration. We laughed, danced, drank a bit :) And hugged a lot. One of the things that I was in such admiration of was that she was courageous in her affection.
You see, there were a group of the former sorority girls there that were still I feel, in the mindset of a 20-something pissed off that I was that person that was the "enforcer" of things they did not like or that I was the one that told them all of the things they could not do instead of what they could get away with. Of that group, only one spoke, put her arm around me and said "it's so good to see you!" However, I am if nothing else, as fair to all as I can be and I was not as close with them as the bride or others there. But it would have been nice to have the same kind of time with them...maybe not. Maybe we are just too different in the view of outreach and expressions of kindness. Maybe I am just the eternal hopeful.
But when we left brunch yesterday morning, my lovely gal with whom I had shared the weekend said "I love you, let's find time soon." Such simple words. Such enormous echoes to the heart. Endless in the ripples created for a soul.
Where and when do we finally stop and know to take time with people. To tell them that they have a great smile, to thank them for a small gesture, to tell them they look wonderful today? It takes less than 15 seconds if you really, really think about it. Even to thank someone for helping you and tell them that you appreciate their effort. Small and kind words, endless echoes. Genuine and sincere in their delivery. Something from the heart to lift someone up.
Don Miguel Ruiz who authored The Four Agreements said that words have energy. How true. Think of the "energy" that the word love carries versus the feeling you get when you read or hear the word hate. The first Agreement is "Be Impeccable With Your Word." He goes on to say *Speak only with integrity, *Say only what you mean, *Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others, and *Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.
Imagine the "energy" if we followed all of this. I have thought of it so much since I met my new gal pal who paid me such a lovely compliment and took the chance to approach a total stranger to do so. And since I reconnected with my lovely sorority daughter.
What simple movement toward someone's heart does it take? Almost nothing. What small comment of great love and magnitude can you put forth each day? You may never know how much it impacts a person.
I have been beyond crabby this winter, just don't know why. Maybe the grey days with no sun and WAY below zero temps. But this last several days were a great reminder to not saddle up my broom but instead look for ways to hand loving and kind words to people I encounter and lift them up as they all should be. One other daughter recently told me I was good for the soul.
I will take that to heart sweet gal. And I will make it my mission to be good for all of those I have in my path.
And thank you Micki, you made me feel like a million and started me on a mission now to pass it along with love. And if you're one of the others reading this, I'm challenging you to make it a mission to at least once a day say or do something wonderful to lift up another soul like my new friend Micki did for me. Imagine if everyone in the world who is reading this did it once a day for another person...the echoes would be endless and a lot of people would feel like she made me feel.
So..
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