Embracing Everyday Opportunities for Community and Joy
The other day, I was having an absolutely lovely day. It was one of those days where everywhere you went, everyone was friendly and every activity was filled with an extra ounce of joy.
The day was so wonderful that when I came across an unexpected scene—a scene that is likely common throughout most communities—I felt a sense of sadness. The contrast between the joy I’d been feeling and the sudden onset of sadness was jarring; it was a vivid reminder of how quickly our emotions can turn.
And that got me thinking… “What was behind this presence of sadness, and what can we do as individuals and communities to offset some of the causes?”
***The beginning: A joyful day filled with connection***
As my husband and I went about our day, conversations with strangers and joy-filled moments arose naturally.
Our Travels & Connection
We had just traveled from Florida to northern Ohio and back to Pittsburgh. If you follow me on Facebook, you know I love to walk in the sea. Now, instead of my toes being in the sand, they were in the soft green grass found in northern climates.
Near the very end of our journey, I found garlic scapes at a Farmer’s Market, just 30 minutes from our final destination. Yes – I get that excited about Farmer’s Markets, that I insisted on stopping after nearly 1300 miles on the road… packed to the brim and with two dogs!
Breakfast, a Walk & Connection
My morning began with scrambled eggs, topped with the scapes, sautéed to perfection. If you’re not familiar with scapes, they’re the top part of the garlic plant, which most people typically chop off to promote growth and discard. I like to save and sauté them. They are delicious.
In enjoying my breakfast so much, I briefly thought of all the people who made that breakfast so deliciously possible. The farmers, the individuals at the Farmer’s Market store, and the dairy farmers who contributed to the butter in which I sauted the scapes. So many people I’ll never meet. Whether I was smiling more at the deliciousness or in gratitude is hard to tell.
An Afternoon Stroll, Ice Cream & Connection
We then strolled the streets of Mt. Lebanon – a lovely community, one in which I used to live. We enjoyed our coffee, visited with a few other people while walking, and then headed to a specialty shop, where we found an eggplant relish. That went on my eggs this morning – another delicious breakfast.
While we spent much of the day unpacking and getting settled, particularly in setting up our work areas, as we both work virtually, we also visited a new eatery in the area. All the staff were excited and happy to be sharing information and making our custom veggie bowls. The bowls were yummy. We enjoyed every bite.
After a delicious dinner, largely comprised of the goodness I found at the Farmer’s market, we went out for ice cream, again strolling around and talking with a few individuals along the way, enjoying the warm connection.
***What’s so sad about this day?***
From Connection to Disconnection
Nothing at this point. But then, as we were walking back to the car, we noticed how desolate a fast-food restaurant was. I wondered if it was open. The abrupt shift from lively connection to quiet desolation was unsettling. The building simply carried the energy of a bygone building, 30 years past its prime, begging for an end to its misery. It felt lonely, as if the building itself carried deep sadness. It was a stark reminder of how many public spaces, once vibrant with community spirit, have declined, places where neighbors once gathered to share meals and conversations.
THEN, we turned the corner. Cars were lined up in the worn-down drive-through, extending onto the road. One car after another, with the windows up, heads down – on this beautiful evening with fresh air all around.
Each closed car added to the sadness. No sense of community. No togetherness.
Completing the task of procuring food. Nothing more, nothing less.
Missed Opportunities to Live Life Fully & with Joy
We have opportunities hundreds of times every single day. Opportunities to engage or disengage. To enjoy the little things or to find bitterness at every turn.
We can choose to fuel our bodies with nourishing food that supports our bodies in supporting our lives, or we can settle for food simply for the sake of food. Or even misuse it in an attempt to find comfort, or to disengage even more.
We have the choice to step outside and acknowledge our neighbors, a stranger passing by, or we can choose to isolate ourselves with invisible, protective barriers.
Barriers that create separateness. Barriers that promote division.
Barriers that make it easier to judge or even harm others.
Barriers that keep us from belonging in the community, in groups.
Barriers that result in our losing ourselves. Losing hope.
Barriers that result in broken homes, communities, businesses… countries.
Our communities, our country, will never heal when we go inward and hide.
We require connection. Though we may seem so far apart, we are all in this together. Imagine if we all chose to be accountable for our everyday actions. Actions that support connection, healing, and belonging.
While big acts of courage might always be hailed as heroic, perhaps the tiniest acts of kindness and courage, when shared by each of us, are what will yield the greatest results.
Every day, as opportunities present themselves, make the choice to choose YES more often.
YES – I will say hi to that passing person.
YES – I will put my phone down and talk with my partner at dinner.
YES – I will offer a kind gesture to another.
YES – I will leave a minute earlier when picking my kids up so I can share a kind word with another parent.
YES – I will park the car and go into the establishment and participate in the community, and maybe, just maybe strike up a conversation with someone new.
In other words:
YES – I choose connection over isolation and division.
YES – I choose hope.
YES – I choose to live more fully
As we say YES to life, imagine the many joy-filled moments that can interject into your day. Imagine the warm conversations with those who were once strangers. Imagine the feeling in the morning, as you waken for the day, of knowing that your day will be graced with love, connection, and joy. And that it all begins with the courage to share kindness throughout your day.
A Moment to Ponder: Where in your life might you be putting up barriers? How might your life be different if you recognize and remove these barriers?
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