Choosing to See the Trees for the Forest

      Every so often, I meet a person that I like instantly.  There’s an immediate connection and we become fast friends.  Other times, it takes longer for the connection to develop but after talking several times we find common ground and become friends.  Then sometimes we don’t ever find that common ground and while we may remain acquaintances we never become close friends.

      The same holds true in the blogosphere or when reading a memoir, for that matter.  In reading other people’s stories, there are some I am instantly drawn to and choose to follow, some that I like enough to visit from time to time, and others I can find no real connection with so I move along.

      Everyone has a story to tell, and I enjoy getting to know people through their stories.  Especially those that are similar to mine.  It’s certainly not unusual for a woman of my age to question her life, her future, her purpose, but with each story there is something unique.  It is the differences and the similarities that allow me to enjoy the journey.

      Much like a snowstorm, we watch billions of snowflakes falling from the sky, they all meander gently from cloud to ground, yet each snowflake looks uniquely different and takes its own distinct path.  Each has its own story to tell, that is what makes the snowflake so beautiful.

      I am grateful to the people who share their journeys online, through books, and in person with me over a cup of tea.  It’s those relationships I treasure. Through the hearing of individual stories, the world becomes a smaller, friendlier place.