It's the ending of a movie, the sharing of secrets, high fives from acquaintances (because they know some sort of physical contact is appropriate, but a hug would be pushing it too far), the casual conversation with the sweet human checking you out at the grocery store, the stars and the way they observe all of us earthlings and our nightly adventures, the smell of fresh air blowing through your home, spontaneous gifts from people that love you, screaming lyrics that aren't actually the lyrics but you don't know what the lyrics are and the windows are down so you have to yell something, the changing of seasons, the unpredictability that awaits at the beginning of everyday and yet still knowing their is peace and understanding that also awaits at the beginning of everyday, it's the natural light and the way it brightens the room you're reading in and it's the way you listen intently to the father-son conversation happening at the table next to you at dinner.
Life is about connecting with people and the world you're in. If you are cooped up in your room hanging out with your friends via Instagram or spending your evening watching Netflix then what part of life are you really experiencing? I am not saying the occasional night in with your friends Meredith Grey and Christina Yang is a bad thing, we all need time to veg out and think about nothing, but my advice would be to get out of the house after a while and experience the night air or the sunshine or the bitter breeze. I have classified myself as an outgoing introvert, because although I love to be around people, being by myself refuels my soul. If you too are an introvert then go spend time alone taking notice of the same things you see everyday. It is not until you leave a place that you realize how special it was to begin with. Every time I drive into Mansfield after being away from home for a while my eyes are everywhere BUT the road; I am too busy swelling at the fields, stop signs, banks and familiarity to tell I am driving in between lanes, because it turns out that I missed my hometown a lot and I forgot how sweet everything about it was to me. So, introverts, go spend your night alone with the world and all the things you love about it, because one day you're going to move on and wish you would have spent more time with the places that surround you.
On my run the other morning I passed by a house being demolished and it wasn't until the house was gone that I realized it was even there. Of course it was just some old house that is going to be replaced with either a new home or business, but that house had a story which makes the house that I never noticed special to someone. Everything and every place has a story and everyone and every place is special to someone. What house, street, restaurant or coffee shop it special to you? Well, next time you're there love it extra hard and allow yourself to consciously breath in everything it has to offer.
Surface level conversations are the very worst and yet we are forced to partake in them everyday, so why don't we stop? It could be by complete coincidence that the man bagging your groceries is bagging your groceries because that's his job, or maybe he has a really intriguing story to share or he's got a super unique career ambition and if you stick to the "hey, how are you" conversation then you'll never get to hear a piece of this incredible humans story. The people at the grocery store, waiting on you at dinner, sitting in the car next to you at the stop light and the people you share a back fence with you are the people that make up this world, so go out and get to know them!
Life is the people and the places and how we humans chose to experience them. I will do my best to experience them intentionally, because if I don't then I am the one missing out. There are plenty of new people to meet. things to see and places to experience, so go out and ask intentional questions, and lay hands on the places you love to be.
