Recently I ordered a yard sign online that simply says, "Love More." It can be interpreted in many ways by whomever wishes to give it some thought as they pass my house.
The sentiment is helpful to me as I work on trusting in my own thoughts and beliefs while at the same time accepting any and all differing attitudes as the right of those who have them.
I was inspired to write about this topic by a meme my daughter added to Facebook: "The Kindness of Strangers." I asked her to elaborate and she replied, "Paying it forward in the Starbucks line; taking someone's cart for them in the grocery parking lot; holding the door for someone with their hands full at the post office. It's the little things!" These are all valid examples.
It seems in many ways we are a world of strangers, sitting at our computers, emailing or texting people we have never laid eyes on. Sometimes, we even become fast friends with people we've never met. Maybe we've seen their face; but is it really their face or one they dream of having from a younger decade?
You know that I always find a way to loop crochet into the conversation here, right? I didn't have to stretch too far this time to join it in! Ninety-five percent of the time when I wear crochet or crochet in public, I make a human connections. It is the tie that binds. Crochet evokes memories of grandmothers' talents or teaching skills; warm thoughts of crocheted gifts received or given; and the joy of sharing our time with others who crochet! Crochet is a "positivity magnet."
Recently in Starbucks, which I find to be an epicenter of worldliness if you just look for it, I encountered a lovely lady from Jordan. I believe she sat next to me because I was crocheting. She related that her mother crochets passionately and lives in Pennsylvania. She shared with me that she and her husband are researching the idea of opening a restaurant that serves her favorite ethnic Jordanian recipes. My first thought was that this kind of food might be a challenge in conservative, suburban Indianapolis. I hope I am wrong! On the positive side, I know that in the year plus that I have lived here, I have enjoyed Ethiopian, Mexican, Vietnamese, Honduran, Brazilian, German and Farm-to-Table. I wish her luck! We parted ways, having exchanged cards and with the plan for her to introduce her mom to me when she visits from Pennsylvania so we can crochet together!
Anothert encounter in Costco left me with a very warm feeling! As I came around a corner with my loaded cart, a woman of another race complimented my glasses. As I thanked her, she asked, "Are you a fun person?" I answered "Yes, and you must be too." She patted me on the shoulder and told me to have a great weekend. I literally smiled through my wait in the long line, and this time it didn't seem all that long!
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| "Fun" glasses |
We've had quite a few tornados pass us by here over the last couple of months with resulting high winds. It's been a challenge to keep my "Love More" sign upright in the yard. After last night's high-velocity winds, it is now residing on my porch.
Maybe someone is telling me to love more!
Where do YOU look for love? Where do you find it?
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