Things

Dear Followers,

For the past few days I have been thinking about this quote I heard...

"Things, when magnified, are forgeries of happiness."  Abraham Joshua Heschel

I think our society puts a lot of importance on the having of things.  And although I do believe things are necessary in life, when things become more important than meaningful interactions and connections with others that's where I can see a forgery of happiness can take place.

When working the drive thru at work, if someone's order is not ready we are suppose to chat with the customer to pass the time.  I think this is probably intended more as a distraction however I have embraced it as an opportunity to connect with people.  One woman was driving a Harley Davidson special edition vehicle so I talked with her about bike week.  Another lady had a copy of a Brene Brown book in her backseat so that conversation was easy to strike up.  What I have found is the people really seem to enjoy the interaction.  They become willing participants in a brief connection with a fellow human being.  And the thing they are waiting for, their caffeinated beverage, becomes far less important.  I always welcome these interactions,and not just at work.  As I've mentioned before I'll talk to anyone, not for the sake of talking but for the sake of connecting.

Another great illustration of the above quote is the Wizard of Oz.  Dorothy and her friends spend the whole movie looking for the things they think will make them happy.  And in the end Dorothy figures out that she has always had what she needed without looking outwardly for it.  I will leave you with a few lines from the movie. 

                        DOROTHY
 Oh, will you help me?  Can you help me?

   GLINDA
 You don't need to be helped any longer.
 You've always had the power to go back to
 Kansas.

   DOROTHY
 I have?

   SCARECROW
 Then why didn't you tell her before?

   GLINDA
 Because she wouldn't have believed me. She
 had to learn it for herself.

   TIN MAN
 What have you learned, Dorothy?

   DOROTHY
   Well, I -- I think that it -- that it
 wasn't enough just to want to see Uncle
 Henry and Auntie Em -- and it's that -- if
 I ever go looking for my heart's desire
 again, I won't look any further than my own
 backyard.  Because if it isn't there, I
 never really lost it to begin with!  Is
 that right?

That's right Dorothy. 
Until next time... 
Peace & Love,
Hope