Dare We Meet Face-to-Face

sharing by mary

Have you ever had an interaction with a stranger or someone you
barely knew that awakened you that it is time for a change?

Picking up my veggie burger from OR Juice & Smoothie today, I see the
owner, whose kind face I hadn’t seen in a while. He asked me how I was
doing and I returned the favor. Then instead of dashing out the door with my
brown bag burger, I felt the nudge to pause, step back from my plans,
look at him, and ask,

“So, you’ve been gone for a while. I haven’t seen you.” “Yeah” he replies “we went
home”. Wondering where home is I inquire, “Where is that? Where are you from?”
“Afghanistan,” he says with a bright tone coming through his whole being. “Wow,
so what is it like to live there?” I ask. “It’s challenging” he replies. “They have a lot of
poverty, a lot of challenges. The internet service goes out a lot so they don’t spend
much time on their laptops or the phone. So, they talk to each other, sing, dance.
But there’s a lot of JOY.”

I shared with him how this reminded me of the stories my mom and dad
would tell about growing up during the Great Depression. They would say,
“We didn’t have any money, but we were happy.”

Together we smiled as we recognized and
resonated with how simple it is to grasp REAL happiness if we
are willing to simply be present with one another, here and now.

I shared, “I am so tired of all of us constantly using our devices and staring at
screens as if they hold the secrets of the Universe. One-word text messages
are considered friendships. I experience loss living this way. I miss what you
and I are doing now, face-to-face, eye-to-eye, present conversation,” as I
motioned my hands back and forth like a good Italian! “Yeah, yeah” his
abundant spirit voice chimes in agreement.

“It was great talking with you. Thank you so much.”
Our hearts gave thanks for taking a moment.

As I drove away, I felt my inner state had shifted. Sitting at the
red light I realized tears were flowing down my face. Yet, I felt torn between
being with my inner spirit’s tears and wanting the light to turn green
so I could go.
I put the pause on my rolling car and my inner spirit’s tears
brought my car to a full stop.
All it took was
One simple REAL person-to-person connection, and

Suddenly, I loved everyone.
I felt like calling up friends, family, distant relations
everyone ~ and telling them how much I miss seeing them,
how much I love them ~
~ our past, present, and eternal connection.
No matter what . . .

Am I willing to PAUSE for LOVE?

Or will I choose screens instead?