Have you ever met someone and knew it wasn't just a coincidence? That you were meant to meet. That you were actually tuning in to something that you couldn't quite understand fully with the limited capacity of the human mind
When opening my blog management page this statement jumped out at me from a blog I enjoy reading. Whoa. Do I ever. I happen to have this feeling that people come and bring lessons into our lives. Often the it is those people you just "know you were meant to meet". That pause seems to happen and you can recall meeting or a turning point from when the exchange between you marked a 'moment'.
Doesn't mean we are not affected by the less earth shaking entries into our lives. We all have friends, even family, acquaintances etc who are lovely and enrich our lives in some way. But they do not hold a significant space in the experiences that have shaped the 'I' of who you currently are. I am lucky, one of those people in my life I can freely say without fear of exposing them is my brother. We connect on an unusual level. That cementing moment when we at ages of 5 and 8, shook hands out in our backyard.... agreeing never to rat the other out to the parents. Always and cover each others back. Turned out to be a damn smart move. But also one that extended well into teenage years and beyond. He's go my back, I got his. He is always honest and to the core, and is able to piss me off more than I think anyone else in the world is capable! But, he gets it. He is the constant of my childhood and is there in many significant moments.
The two closest friends I had in 3rd year University when I lost my Mum were very important to who I became. One wrote me a poem about the "pen being mightier than the sword" and the other gave me a copy of Khalil Gibran's "The Prophet". They gave me space to share academia and ideas freely. They supported and gave love. Helped me in many wise ways and most importantly allowed me space to process the loss and accepted it. Those people were very important. Both came into my life coincidentally in a Lecture Hall at the U of W. No pre-planning. I recall hopping fences and coffee. Paused moments.
I think of my close friend who I met in Tburg. We came from similar family backgrounds, had kids the same ages, similar education. Met many times, yet it was a friendly conversation in an aisle at Shoppers which is the paused moment with her. The moment that the connect was there. This friend is one of the most amazing I have ever had because she gives equally to the friendship. She is loyal and honest and supportive beyond any friend I have met. She is amazing and makes me feel good about myself and our very cool friendship.
I think of the paused moments of others. A smile that connected through a car window. First hi. Someones smile you can always recall.
Or the moment I was finally able to hold my son for the first time and his tiny head fit under my chin and I could cup his diapered bum in one hand between my breasts. A pause. Bedtime snuggles with my sweet pea.
This year has been one of major changes, realizations, challenge and joy. Some really interesting people have helped me learn important lessons. My new job has been instrumental in some big realizations about who I am and my strengths balanced by my weaknesses. Each of these lessons came with a person.