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| Every Person Has A Story |
Through My Eyes.....
"Everyone you meet knows something you don't." This is a quote from Bill Nye I happened to run across this week. In other words.....every person has a story. That's how I interpret it, anyway. And, I am all about a good story!
This is precisely why I receive such profound enjoyment from meeting, speaking with and discovering as much as I can about the people we meet on our various trips. And, this is exactly why being a 'good listener' pays off every time. If you don't know how to listen, how do you expect to learn? This applies to so many aspects of life.
Occasionally,
it's a meeting by happenstance, when the stars align and someone just needs to
be listened to....for sanity's sake. I was filing through antique French post
cards at an outdoor market along the Rue du Maroquin on a visit to Strasbourg,
France, when a lady accidentally bumped into me. Not wanting to seem rude in
another country, I apologized to her saying, "Je m'excuse, s'il vous plait," to
which she replied in broken Frenglish, "No, pardon me.....ahh....Je suis tres,
um, clumsy!" She appeared quite disoriented and was happy to learn that we both
shared American citizenship! We spent the next half an hour settling down on a
nearby bench as I listened to how uncomfortable she was not being able to speak
French and that her husband didn't seem to mind just taking off and leaving her
to her own devices. She was so grateful to have a listening ear. They were
only day-tripping in Strasbourg but, appreciated my invite to dine together for
supper. They would be heading to their hotel in Comar as soon as she found her
husband. Now calmed and settled with a 'taste of home' to cling to, we parted
company. I will never forget how warm her hug was nor how sweet her smile as
she spotted 'the husband' and thanked me for the much needed
respite.
More often, however, a mutual chord is struck and a conversation ensues sparked by the passion for and knowledge of a shared idea. It could be as simple as enjoying the same piece of music; as intriguing as climbing a mountain together; or, as amazing as discussing the virtues of a particular pairing of wine to compliment the chef's seasonal entree for that evening's dining pleasure. The distinct beauty of all this is that everyone is a winner! Each participant will leave richer for having added at least one small kernel of knowledge to their life experience. The fun part is being able to use this 'kernel' in a discussion with someone else in the future.
How many smiles can you derive from perfect strangers while walking down a crowded sidewalk? Hopefully, we've all played this game at one time or another. If you haven't, it's so worth your time....trust me on this one! Happiness can be more contagious than yawning battles at your next weekly staff meeting. And, much, much more fun! Just choose a target (fellow pedestrian) who looks like he or she needs a boost. Quickly make eye contact. Begin small and then spread that smile on your face and take it from ear to ear if need be. Soon you'll be adding up your successes and, even if they fail to return your smile immediately, they'll be thinking about it all day and, maybe, just maybe be taking it home with them that night.
Veronica showed us the most convenient table to receive the best wi-fi connection.....which served us beautifully when we'd Skype the kids back home. Fortunately for us, as she would linger around our table after serving another round of Guinness or placing the most delicious fresh lamb stew, fish and chips or clam chowder before us, she would serve up the 'craic' (enjoyable conversation filled with gossip or news) for dessert with whipped cream and a cherry on top!! The writer in me appreciated every moment that transpired each evening as we savored great food and interestingly colorful tales revolving around the history of the area and the people who helped to form it. Pure Heaven!!
I will add another dimension to Mr. Nye's quote from above and say how 'every picture tells a story!' From chiseled figures in rock walls to painted Egyptian symbols adorning mighty tombs to Renaissance Masterpieces admired from the gallery floor......to the awesome and colorful 'expression of ideas' brought home by your Kindergartner that are now framed and displayed on the family room wall! There is an impressive story that corresponds to each and every one of them.
Photographs taken while traveling serve to bring our stories back home with us, to explore, savor and share forever. They will become just as important to us later on as booking the perfect Bed & Breakfast establishment might be in the beginning.
I personally enjoy taking pictures of senior citizens and collect these magnificent images that represent years upon years of living, learning and loving. Each person's story is neatly tucked away behind dreamy eyes, weathered faces or a shock of white hair and layered within their souls like the walls of the Grand Canyon denoting dimension and time. I want (need) to learn what they know and I don't.
Occasionally, our stories can even overlap each other in time... Returning home from our latest visit to Provençal in the south of France, we invited friends over to see our photographs and enjoy several delicious French dishes I had made to honor our visit, as well as the wife, Florence, who was born in the Le Luberon area of Provence. This beautiful region was immortalized by the author, Peter Mayle. Enjoying a glass of Rhone Valley wine and a dessert of cream filled meringue, we scanned through our pictures. Suddenly, Florence, instructed us to go back to a particular image I had taken from the famous 'unfinished' bridge that spans out over the Rhone River (Pont d'Avignon) and resides just beyond the Palace of Popes (Palais des Papes). During the 14th century this palace in Avignon served as the papal residence and seat of Western Christianity. Ironically, good friends of hers live just beyond the green space across the river from the bridge and she could almost see their home in my photograph. Who knew, right?
Lastly......and certainly not least, let's discuss the most popular story-infused game of all time: People watching! Following the belief that everyone you meet knows something you don't, insert imagination into this mix and the game explodes into another dimension. There's no right or wrong, no win or lose to this sport and, it can be applied to so many scenarios with the results only limited or expanded by your own imagination. The next time you are in a crowded environment (airport terminal or shopping mall), find a bench, sit down and observe the people around you. Now, put your own twist on their personal story and enjoy!
Okay...let's get out of my head for now. I will admit that, sometimes, it can get a bit 'messy' up there.
Try to remember this during the next trip you take to places far and wide.....that our earth's natural beauty will always be a highlight of your adventure and worth capturing both digitally and mentally. However, the beauty of paintings, sculpture, ancient structures and cultural customs carried down through the ages are served to us via the blood, sweat, imagination, talent and stories handed down through the generations of people who lived, breathed and died to make them happen.
If possible....I promise to learn one thing that I never knew before from each person that I meet throughout my lifetime and always be a positive link within the Circle of Life.
