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I feel inspired to write this night falls on the city.
I hadn’t planned on doing so; in fact, I hadn’t planned on doing much of anything other than watching a few online episodes of Pushing Daisies via Hulu. However, for some reason I began to experience a connection of sorts with the world at large as dusk settled over the remnants of the day.
Funny, really.
It wasn’t too long ago that I happened to stumble across a video entitled, “Where the Hell is Matt?” from Mindy’s blog which I had watched, and found myself drawn into. Mostly it was from observing this young man and the extraordinary way in which he connected with the world through a simple and sublime act.
Truthfully.
I found myself thinking about that video again this evening and I looked it up. I watched. I smiled. I felt connected yet again.
It causes one to wonder—to question really—why it is that we can find it so hard to connect with those who are living right next door, and yet we can quite easily unearth that bonding link with those whom we’ve never before met.
To this wonderment I have no answer, but instead throw this unrequited question out into the cosmic void this evening…and to all of you out there whom I’ve never met—but were I ever to connect in this fashion—I would certainly hope that you would come and play a part.
Goodnight.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Connecting
Labels:
attitude,
connection,
dance,
friendship,
humor,
inspiring,
magic,
Media of the Week,
music
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17 comments:
In the words of Ben Harper's Roses From My Friends "Sometimes I feel I know strangers
better than I know my friends"
The importance is that you are connecting with someone. I enjoyed the video immensely. I am sure if you were to dance across the world people would join you. Things like that are quite contagious.
I liked the guy in San Diego turning circles in his wheel chair on the beach!
Way cool video.
I would have to say it is easier with strangers because there are no close consequences in that you can act silly or like a jerk to a stranger, walk away and not feel the effects on your heart if they are upset with you, disappointed in you...how can they? They don't know you. Relationships that are close take work and require you to give of yourself.
That is my two cents anyway....
Thanks Jason. I think you were supposed to be that up for me tonight. I just got word that the plane crash in Provo, Utah was the son-in-law of a woman in our church. I know her daughter (the wife of the man that died) well. My heart is broken tonight and I couldn't sleep, so I took a look at your blog. That was just awesome. How any of what I just said relates to the video, I don't know, but maybe just the idea that we are not alone. We need to be connected and we need to find joy.
That is a very cool video! I think many would dance along side you were you to do that. Though it may take some persistence at first…
That’s a very good question too. I will have to give your question some thought, (as quite honestly, I ask myself the same thing often), and may come back in greater response later. But for now, I will say this...
I think that without even realizing it, we are sometimes truer to strangers than we are with our friends. We don't care about what strangers think, so we are completely ourselves... no holding back, no reservations, just reality/the real deal. With strangers, we are completely ourselves, so they get to know us. And I believe the quote to be true… “To know you is to love you.” I have never known a person I did not love once knowing them (though some are definitely more loveable than others :D).
Fears also distance us. How often do we keep ourselves from discovering the things we have in common with others, because we fear criticism or rejection? The truth is, though we are all unique, we are also not as completely different from others as we sometimes feel we are; we all have so much in common just waiting to be discovered.
That is just what I think, for now. I look forward to making more connections with others in my life. I am anxious to see what others say in response to this question; I will be back! :D
The number one thing I have learned and LOVE about blogging is the connection you have to someone else.
You truly feel like that person is a friend.
When Nie Nie walked onto the Oprah stage, that was my friend and I cried tears of joy because she's so strong.
When CJane riddled us a riddle about bibs, I called my sisters to tell them that Courtney was pregnant.
When it was a warm night before the first day of school for Utah's kids, I thought of Jason and his butterflies of nerves and the fact that he'll never have another 1st day of teaching his TENTH year of school.
So I feel very connected to all of my friends that I've never met before. :)
PS---Glad you love that video! It's so makes me smile to know that no matter where you go, we all have dancing, laughter and smiling in common.
~me
Well....Does dancing the chicken dance on Fountain Square every September count? How about several times a year at a local German eatery? But we also do other dances and sign alongs as we eat with complete strangers who just happen to be sitting at our table....
L - I would love to dance across the world, though I probably won't ever do it in quite this way...
R - I think you're right; more effort is often involved with those who are nearer in proximity to where we are. Those who are far away, do not.
L - When I hear about people who are suffering, it makes me cringe inside and want to wave a magic wand and make everything better - but alas, this is not Hogwarts, and I have no magic powers. I hope you are finding a way through these 'moments' of sorrow which will come and go.
C - Fear can distance us, or stop us from reaching out and doing, can't it? I find that as I get older, in some ways I become more fearful, but in others, in the inhibitions seem to melt away...
ME - And when someone I know won a most-deserved award from the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for Hispanic Leaders Under 40, one of the friends whom she's never met read on about it and smiled.
B - If you are intoxicated then I don't think it can count; however, if you are completely sober and simply high on life...absolutely!
It is so funny that you posted this today. I am SUCH an outgoing person and I have really made an effort this past year to reach out with those people in my neighborhood because I really haven't.
We threw our first block party last month and met most of our neighbors and had so much fun that we are going to do it every year.
And just this morning when I came home from the gym at 6:30 - it was still dark out - my next door neighbor was out raking leaves trying to get them in the can before the garbage truck came. She is a school teacher and her husband died last year and she is all alone.
I could have easily pulled in the garage and gone about my day but something told me not to. I went over and helped her rake up and bag leaves for almost an hour and it was probably the best thing I could have ever done.
I think she just needs someone to talk to. And it sure made my day.
I honestly take every opportunity I can to reach out and talk to anyone and everyone. I am such a social animal...
And I would totally dance my bahookie off all around the country. Just.saying.
I love this video and the connection that comes with it.
I'm going to agree with Rachel on her assessment as to why sometimes we connect better with strangers than those that live next do to us.
And add...that we don't know the strangers well enough to know their quirks and they haven't annoyed us.
And I would totally come and dance silly with you. Silly is the only way I know how to dance.
Why do things like this make me CRY?! I would love to do something like this... I certainly meet the criteria of dancing badly. How cool would it be to make new friends all over the world (or anywhere for that matter!) and then to just get crazy and dance together?
Great post.
What an awesome video! It is just what my post migraine body needed- a smile and pick me up. Thanks.
This particular subject/ question has been on my mind a lot lately, perhaps, I will blog about it someday. Rachel and Corine have already spoken some of my conclusions regarding it, so today I will enjoy the connection I have made with a known friend and a stranger.
that was just FUN! thank you! smiled all the way through...that mans knows how to travel. YES! feeling connected...
Oh and I hope it is okay I added you to my blog roll...
What a fun video!
T - That is awesome! I need to do those types of things far more often than I do. Kudos to you!
S - If I ever decide to do 'the dance' I fully expect you to be there.
G - It does tend to tug at the heartstrings, doesn't it? I, too, would gladly dance badly.
N - Post migraine? I feel for you just because of that. I had one the other day and it was awful!
I hope you're able to keep making those connections...
M - I smiled the whole way through it as well; in fact, every time I've watched it.
T - I would actually be flattered that you did...truly.
C - Isn't it? Stuff like this just brings a smile to the face as well as the soul, doesn't it?
I completely agree. Why is that?
I've been blogging with a few gals for years, some I've never even met and I cheerfully refer to them as friends. Is that bizarre? Lame maybe?
J - It's all about connecting, right?
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