People Moments

My grandchildren seem to feel a little bit cheated, disappointed for sure, if they come to Warrenton for a visit and do not catch at least a glimpse of my friend Elaine during their time here.  It's understandable!  E is engaging.  She pays attention to them.  She's fun!  They have come to refer to her as my "crazy friend."

This girlfriend is anything but crazy in the "out-of-one's-mind" sense.  Her mind is quick and bright and she has a knack for connecting with another's mind.  While my grandkids have never lived here, they have had enough contact on periodic visits to expect a warm hello and some entertaining banter anytime they meet E.  She has never disappointed, except when she does not appear.  Her sense of humor helps with my grandchildren, but her wittiness is not the sum of her appeal.

Sometimes people more than circumstance provide the defining element for our moments.  Experience gives us a pretty clear picture of what we may expect with certain people.  No doubt, from time to time we have charted our path to avoid some folks, and at times we have dashed across a room because we did not want to miss a minute with some others.

Admittedly, sometimes the motivating force for or against contact is within ourselves, but not always.  We enjoy people who are warm and engaging and we are more likely to return the same to them.  It brings out the best of both parties.  With or without joking and laughing, we can offer the best version of ourselves in our moments of connection; and we do well to remember that our best selves are about more than ourselves.

Perhaps we can give some thought to the quality of the "people moments" others may experience when in our presence.  Wouldn't we all like to think someone feels cheated by missing a chance for time with us?