I have been fortunate to be working from home since mid-March to avoid close quarters at my downtown office. This keeps the Covid at bay and I am thankful for the opportunity.
One of the great things about working from home is that I can avoid the daily commute. Normally, I get up at 5:00 and head out at 5:30. That’s a.m. I still get up at 5:00 a.m. but instead of heading to the office, now I can enjoy a cup of coffee with my husband before he leaves for work. Then I log in at 6:00 a.m. and do a few things before I take my little dogs for a walk on my morning break.
For several weeks, the dogs and I haved passed the same woman, child and dog on our early morning walk and sometimes on our lunchtime walk. We all recognize each other and exchange smiles and covid-style, social distance greetings. Today, I was compelled to say, “We seem to be on the same schedule”. This was the opening that was needed to connect with this family.
We exchanged names, talked about the dogs and our walking and how things have changed so much recently. I got more details about this woman and child than I expected, and I recognized her loneliness and need to talk.
It bothered me the way the woman was talking about her life and her child and the missing father. I could see the child shrink at some of the things that were said. The child spoke a bit too, and I sensed a need for a listener. This family is having a hard time with life right now and I left feeling that maybe I should do something to help them.
Then I realized that we met, we talked, we got to know each other a little bit. We will see each other on our walks and if something needs doing, it will present itself to me. So, while I cannot heal the world, I can be attentive to the people I meet and look for ways to enrich them. Listening is a gift that is easy to give and one we all enjoy.
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