The lead character in It’s a Wonderful Life reminds us that is the unseen individuals the elite do not seem to care about, are the ones who are doing most of the living. If I take the observation a step further, my comment is this; “most of life unfolds in the corners of life few notice except for the person living them”.
Life may be highlighted or noted by the big moments, but it is in living life completely and in wholeness that we experience real life. It is never just about the highlights. Life is discovered, appreciated, and savored in all the stuff we do in living. This include the routine actions that fill every woman and man’s life, from hygiene to feeding one’s self, from staying safe to taking risks, from going it alone to working with others. Most of the time, nobody is looking. You and I are the only ones that notice, and even we often fail to remember.
As I gathered with friends yesterday, I was reminded of how much is found in being together. Much of the time it seems to be overwhelmingly ordinary. There is nothing special to talk about except that there is! Reminders started with the simple things.
Music and entertainment is often a matter of taste. What makes a song special or a show amusing? Listening to another’s story opens doors to new experiences and ways of hearing and seeing. I laughed, wondered, and enjoyed the conversations, discovering bits of trivia and fragments of other lives that enriched my journey. What I hear will be different from this point forward.
Everyone looks at food differently. As some bizarre pizza combinations emerged, some are now on my top three ever list! Subtle combinations that worked in the most wonderful ways on the senses.
Reconnecting is also a way to give and share hope. Life is more than “men and women go[ing] out to work, busy at their jobs until evening.” (Psalm 104.23) Life is about taking steps together, helping each other when we can, and celebrating.
