I wasn’t looking for a pandemic anthem but a couple weeks ago the perfect song auditioned unsolicited. What I heard in it was a rallying cry and what I felt in it was the power to unite.
“What’s Up?” by 4 Non Blondes—it might just be our anthem for the times.
It was already a favorite, but this filter we’re now experiencing life through reveals new depths in the familiar.
So here’s my take on the lyrics so many of us love and why I’m nominating “What’s Up?” for our pandemic anthem: Read more
A long line and small talk with a stranger—what could pair better? In fact, it was those two things that led me to a delightful conversation with, potentially, the real Mrs. Claus. Read more
I found a slice of my past in the garage last weekend. Flash flooding had forced me to empty and clean the entire space. But before I could throw away a box of water-soaked childhood mementos, I had to take one final look.
So I sat on my driveway, surrounded by bicycles, paint cans, and old car seats, and opened this portal to my past. Two seemingly unrelated things caught my breath: Read more
What do a priest and a rabbi have in common?
Aside from starring in some really bad jokes, I wasn’t sure. But I’m an inquisitive soul, so I went to church to hear a Catholic priest and a Jewish rabbi answer questions about their religions in a fascinating conversation.
If you’re curious like me, here are the four insights I left with: Read more
Despite evidence pointing to the arrival of Christmas, it’s still Fall. And to honor the star of the season—the tree—I’m sharing two insights on life inspired by crazy tree facts. Read more
“Tell me a story.”
An old colleague of mine was famous for this line. At any lull in the conversation, he’d offer it up. Most people’s response?
“Uhhhhhhhh…”
But each of us has a story ready to go, and it needs no touch of fantasy or fiction. Nor will it ever be duplicated. Because it’s the story of you, and the starting point of your connection to others.
So let me tell you a little story… Read more
HOME. It’s been the topic of conversation in my thoughts as I’m set for a summer visit to a city I used to call home. I feel as if it’s held a spot for me, just in case I’d change my mind on the move. But moving has defined my life.
I always knew I wanted to set sail from my childhood nest in Missouri, in search of adventures and fresh perspectives. And I found just that in San Francisco. It was a time of extreme experiences and when I think of my home there I feel like I’m rediscovering a magical part of me that missed the flight to my next destination. A part of me that religiously set aside time to dream, to really connect with my hubby, to nourish my soul by indulging my interests—a lighter me. So this is my fairy tale castle (shrunk to 650 square feet). Read more
THE DARE:
It started as a dare to myself and my social media world to joyfully jump into some life-expanding thing that we couldn’t wait to do. And then see what happens…
I chose to revisit my copy of Smart Women Read between the Lines, a journal of books read, books to read, and favorite book insights. I haven’t added to the journal in probably five years, except to maybe check off a book read. But it’s a favorite indulgence of mine, to re-read quotes I had found impactful enough to hand write.
And this is what I saw, a line from A Portrait by Guy de Maupassant:
“There are barriers set between all human beings, and these yield only one by one, as they are unlocked by the key of sympathy, or similar tastes, or harmony of intellectual culture, or constant association.”
Which reminded me of another favorite quote, a Chinese proverb Laura Schroff included in her book An Invisible Thread:
“An invisible thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, or circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle, but it will never break.”
THE TRUTH:
It got me thinking, how many “invisible thread meetings” have I botched because I didn’t try to unlock a barrier? Countless times I’ve failed to take a conversation any deeper than a “hi, how are you?” And other times I’ve felt that someone needed support but I was scared to reach out. Not to mention those events filled with people I find intellectually stimulating, but for which I somehow also find excuses to skip.
Will I get a second chance to meet those people and use the keys I always possess? Will any of us get a re-do?
While I don’t have the answer to those questions, I’ll offer up a solution for all those “invisible thread meetings” yet to happen. And this time, it’s a quote of my own:
“Presence is a sign of reverence for the people and circumstances before us, an acknowledgement that this moment holds purpose.”
Be present with those whose paths you cross, and the purpose will reveal itself. Then, my bold souls, it’s time to act.
How will you unlock a barrier to connecting with another? Let us know with a comment below and start connecting now! https://weboldsouls.com/community-connection/