One of the greatest gifts…
There is a local restaurant where we like to treat ourselves every once in a while with pokey bowls, ramen, and Boba tea. We’ve been going there for at least a year or so. The lady at the front counter always greets us when we visit. She is somewhat solemn in manner, yet she appears to brighten when my two sons and I visit. We’ve seen a young boy there sometimes who may be her son. Few words are spoken, but we are cordial to one another. Over the summer, we would get Boba tea more often (a bribe for the kids to go bowling and they would get to try another flavor or pearl). One evening, we ordered two pokey bowls only. No tea. We patiently waited for our order which is always beautifully presented and prepared with great care. When it was ready, she surprised us with a tea! She said she had tried to remember our order from the last time, bless her heart. The boys saw her making a tea and wondered if it was for us, even though we hadn’t ordered one. I was truly touched by her thoughtfulness, and it brought tears to my eyes as we got in the car.
To connect with another in such a way to experience something so small, so deeply, is truly heartfelt. Another evening, my youngest son finally accomplished riding his bike without training wheels. I was making dinner at the time and said that if he would ride around the small block to show me, we would go get a boba tea right after dinner. And that’s what we did! We all jumped in the car to go get a celebration tea. We told the lady about the occasion, and she surprised us again with a piece of matcha cake. Again, deeply touched and completely unexpected.
For some feelings, there are no words. The language is more deeply felt in energy. In metaphysics, we would say, “I love you just because you are.” You do not have to prove or do anything to earn love. You are love and can be loved for being you. Because you are. And I am.
There are 1000s of versions of you in the minds of other people (Alan Watts). Your version of you is the only one to be concerned with—it’s the one you get to control (and learn to love). It is your story that you get to write. Storytelling is a language we use to describe life. The stories we tell ourselves. The stories we tell others. You get to decide when to tell a new story. Maybe that lady has a story about us. I can only imagine what her perception might be. And it makes me curious and smile. If only we allow the space to consider another perspective—one which we have no need to control. With that, may our minds open and our love grow and expand. The depth of our being is revealed through our relationships with others.
One of the greatest gifts is to be seen. And to be seen by a stranger. Because at some point, we are all strangers.
