At the earliest possible, conveniently located along my planned route through the errands I have listed, coffee shop (shoppe? or palace? pavilion? Mediterranean bazaar? we’re into ‘concepts,’ not names presently, and I’m willing to go with that flow)
…back to the quaint little corner table I’d ‘found’ (quaint way of viewing that table and planting my flag) there sat my precisely constructed latte…awaiting my lips…or my lips were anxiously awaiting it…whatever…they were made for each other and precious little was going to be able to keep them apart for much longer
…at least for not any longer than the pause that was now taken
with closed eyes…
…a moment to allow for and to feel for the gratitude that accompanies goodness…even the goodness of this morning’s first sip…
…a thanks that was felt for and not pulled out of the rolodexed stock ‘n trade recitations (no offense, but who falls for pretty words anymore? We’re into feeling it, no?)…
Aside: can we have a little sidebar here: (how far aside can I pull you on a page of paper? Use your imagination and take me someplace private, please…
I’m not boasting as I report my experience. It is what it is. I’m grateful to be able to witness gratitude at all…as I have also experienced living ignorantly in all of my good intentions. I have come to accept, to recognize, that my life is manifested through and with my interactions with all of you and that my actions themselves become my telling of who and what I am. Words themselves, between spirits, are a last resort)
This is as true for you as it is for me.
OK, thanks…back we go…
Anyway…the latte awaits patiently…
…and the lips, with eyes remaining shut, nevertheless break into a sly and playful smile (at what we know not) and then,
“boosh!” I pop open my eyes as my arms began their reaching and was instantly greeted by the visage of a standing face before me…with its own exposed smile aimed at me…(covid awareness note: they were closer than 6 feet and mask hanging off one ear)…
“You dropped this over there,” the stranger kindly said as my phone was handed back.
“Thanks,” I replied with a warmth that surprised me—and I meant for the kindness and the smile. (I couldn’t give a darn (2 sh_ts, anyone?) about the phone and I didn’t have the chance to put that in parenthesis for the stranger…to perhaps help them to understand what I meant)
And I cannot ever know if the stranger knew what I had meant.
I sure do hope they felt it though…that it came through or across that short but huge expanse between the them of them and the me of me and where that place is….
in between the two that shared one moment of true connection
where we met in a smile
I carry them with me still
They’re not heavy at all.
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