We’re All Connected

There are people I see regularly throughout town, out my car window or in my neighborhood. They are people I have never talked to, but would notice if I didn’t see them for a while, some I even worry about if months have gone by without our paths crossing.

There is one such person on my mind tonight. She’s a woman I see walking frequently in my area of town (a little larger area than my neighborhood). She is always wearing a long skirt with sneakers and is a quick walker. I’ve often wondered her story, is she walking for leisure, transportation, where does she live, does she have family in the area? I see her so often; sometimes many times a month, sometimes not for weeks. Last year there was a woman hit and killed by a train nearby, no information was ever released in the newspaper other than that one line. I actually worried that it was this particular woman and that no one knew, the thought saddened me. I searched the paper and online for weeks in hopes of seeing a photo posted somewhere. I eventually saw her walking and was so relieved it was not her.

Tonight our paths crossed again, this time at a baseball game, she was sitting just two rows in front of a friend of mine and was carrying on a conversation with him. I finally met this woman I already felt connected to. We had a great conversation covering a variety of topics. She walks for both transportation and leisure. Not because she has to, but because she wants to, she doesn’t live far from me, was at the game with her son and I could have talked with her for many more innings. I now have a name to go with the face I would recognize anywhere.

My heart is happy in the same way as being the one to put the last piece in 1,000 piece puzzle.

Makes me wonder who would notice if they hadn’t seen me for a while, what about you?

There is one person I cross paths with often two or more times a week while I run and he walks. We shared a brief conversation last Thanksgiving after he saw my husband on the path and mentioned he hadn’t seen me for a while (I had been sick and unmotivated to run). He notices me and the fact that he noticed I hadn’t been running in weeks made me tie my laces and get out there so I could cross paths with him. I thanked him for noticing I hadn’t been out in awhile.  Hmmm, but I still don’t know his name. Maybe I’ll ask him next time, or maybe I’ll just smile and say, “Good morning” as usual.

Ironically, when a man was hit and killed by a car nearby I worried it was him. Once it was released the man was blind, I knew it wasn’t him, but it made me realize how connected our paths are.

Who would you notice was gone from your life, yet have never met them?