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I was thinking this afternoon on my drive to the hotel the many ways we as humans can connect or chose not to connect with one another. I was at a stop light and saw a homeless man with a sign that read "really homeless, live in the woods with wife who has ovarian cancer." This man absolutely looked homeless as well as exhausted.
My heart went out to him; as a human I felt compassion for his situation. I was in the right hand turn lane there were cars in the left hand turn lane. I wanted nothing more than to give him some money and look him in the eye and tell him I "see him" I wanted him to know I really saw him. I am still thinking about that man.
Do you miss an opportunity to connect with someone because you are in a hurry to get to your meeting, make your phone call or get to the bank before the deadline? Do you miss really seeing people, looking them in the eye and connecting with them even if its just a slight smile?
Or do you take every opportunity to find out more about them, ask them about their day, how they are doing? The girl at the magazine store in the Atlanta airport on Concourse B does. She was my first encounter today. As I payed for my water she simply asked me what kind of work I did. I explained that I had my own executive search business; a head hunter if you will in the health care and technology industries. She explained to me that she was going to school to be a surgical technician because working for $7/hour was for the birds! Even though she has a great personality I didn't get the sense that she really liked being a cashier. She proceeded to tell me that she was working full time, going to school full time, etc. She went on to say that she wouldn't be able to pay her rent if her parents didn't help out. I told her that she was on the right path; getting a job in health care would give her more security than most and that it was awesome that she was handling all that responsibility. She was smiling when I left the store.
Life certainly seems to be more challenging than it used to be; for everyone. I know you have a lot to do, so do I, so does everyone. Can you take a few minutes each day to be aware and awake enough and not afraid to look someone in the eye and let them know you you "really" see them?
That is your challenge; our challenge as human beings. Not human doings. We are all connected.
