The Power of Connection

On Tuesday I sat by a woman at a community training meeting. And I listened.

We were asked to share a current personal struggle with the person at the table next to us. The rules were simple. Listen. Don't try to fix. For those of you who know me well, fixing is what I do.

As I sat with her and listened to her share the challenges that she was facing as she was transitioning from a strong, vital working woman to a retiree with health concerns I was transfixed.

Before me sat a beautiful, strong, compassionate woman.  In my eyes, she seemed to have it all together.  Yet, she shared with me that at sixty-two she was facing a crisis. She was struggling to redefine her role, to find her way on the path that lay before her. The impending changes in her life had brought fear and anxiety with them.

In that moment we were connected. I sat with her and saw myself reflected in her story. Like her, my life is on the cusp of a major transition. The engines have started, the motor is revving and I am itching to take my foot off the brakes and race forward into the future. Yet, with all the excitement for the things to come, there is also a cloud of uncertainty.

I do not fully know what the future holds. I know my dreams and my hopes and my aspirations, but I do not know how they will be manifested.  But I am at peace, knowing that I am connected to those around me.