Isn’t it strange when you go away from home, either on holiday, or for a business trip, and time starts misbehaving, tricking you into a false sense of reality?
Strong protective stripes whilst boarding the plane
The build up to travel and the anticipation alone is time consuming, especially for a minimal packer like me who likes to meticulously plan every outfit and not have any wastage of item…yet still have some choices…I have finally mastered this skilful art, but I pack, unpack, repack, many times!
The time away is sometimes fast (‘slow down please…I’m enjoying this’), sometimes slow (‘I’m ready to go home now…’), but always intense, like one the brightest hottest widest rainbows you’ve ever seen.
And then…all of a sudden…you are back home and have been home for more days than you were away and you can’t quite work it out. Did it even happen?
It’s been 7 days since I arrived back from a 6 day work trip to Salt Lake City. The last 7 days have not been technicolor, but more like a grey fog of jet lag, work stress and a continuation of processing the people I heard speaking in the other world that was my temporary home.
However, despite the post-trip lull, my love for family is stronger than before, and my hugs potentially a little tighter – I have definitely come back wiser. There is definitely something bubbling away inside me.
My eyes are wider, my taste buds are alive (fruit, oh how I missed it), my heart is more content and my brain has expanded and my ears are working harder. Listening. Properly listening. With intent.
Obama listened to his audience, with his whole body. The calm energy that he emitted was felt in every part of my body, and my ears could not listen harder…with my eyes fixated on him trying to help make sense of the familiar sound of his voice in the room. He spoke so well, so articulate, and with true kindness. But he also listened. Listening to the huge crowd and responding to the odd murmur or holler with humour, and more interestingly, listening to himself and adding more to his already poignant stories as he eloquently vocalised them. So aware. So present.
Oprah also listened. Yes she talked a lot, she was so incredibly passionate, I could’ve heard her talk for hours. But she too displayed the behaviour of Obama, and actually went further to acknowledge the importance of listening and of being listened to:
“In all of your interactions, in your work, in your home, with your children, with your boss, with your partners, everybody just wants to know: Is it okay? Did you hear me? And did what I say get through?”
I heard her. What she said got through to me. Despite the imbalance of one person on stage to 11,000 in the audience I could tell that this was a two way street. Oprah was open. She was truly human.
Stripes at the gate in Dallas, quite retro
When I landed in Dallas I was excited to hear different voices, accents, phrases. Communication never fails to amaze me. Sometimes a smile says so much when words cannot be shared, and sometimes we have to really explain what we mean by something even when speaking the same language. A small difference in word intonation or placement can lead to initial short term confusion, but often leads to greater listening, further conversation and questions, and ultimately greater connection.
I sent a text this week to someone very special and it said ‘thanks for listening’. I felt so happy to be heard, to be understood, but even happier to send to the message and recognise a simple yet important action in another person, whether conscious or not. I hope to send more, and I also hope to receive some. I’m here. I hear.
Stripes and trees xxx
Stripes & Trees 