So who’s the one you’re with? Well it’s you– 24/7/365.
On our good days and on our lousy days, our traveling companion is the face looking back at us in the mirror. And each and every single one of us is a unique assortment of stardust and memory and genetic code and life experience. We are the outcome of some that is known and much that we can never understand. We are our past and our present and our future. We are one of a kind organisms capable of love and hate, of joy and sadness, of nuance and brash gesture. We are also capable of changing our world on a daily basis simply by showing up as us!
This is not a ridiculous claim! Think of the people you know who enjoy who they really are– whether they are shy or bold, educated or self taught, pretty or plain. There is nothing so captivating as the energy and spirit of a person who has found their voice.
I met a woman like this a couple of days ago. I was away for the weekend in a desert community called 29 Palms and Pat was the biologist/naturalist who showed up to teach us about the desert landscape we were inhabiting. Pat is about 65- sparkling blue eyes, she writes curricula for teachers who bring their classes into the desert to learn about their world. She knows a lot and wasn’t shy to share the depth of her learning or her passion. Her delight in sharing her world with us was infectious– so infectious in fact, that 7 of us followed her around all day on her chosen exploration of a portion of Joshua Tree National Park that she had never seen.
OK. So she had impact and charisma, knowledge and a lovely energy. Here’s where she moved the dial for me. At the end of the day with her we all reached to our wallets to compensate her for her time and knowledge and generosity. She wouldn’t take a dime but she made a powerful ask: Would we each please make a contribution to the Mohave Desert Land Trust which is working to save the desert an acre at a time.
Needless to say– every one of us reached for a brochure and the chance to assist this wonderful woman in a small way.
In the very best way, Pat loved who she was, and it was infectious. I’ve got my eyes and ears out for Pats all the time– for the people who have found their voice, their style, their passion and their particular way to share it.
