A woman I didn’t know, about my age, was sitting in the back by herself before the start of the women’s meeting at church today, so I picked myself up and moved over there. There’s enough aloneness in this world; this moment, I could do something about.
You’re Katie’s mom, aren’t you? I asked her.
Yes! She brightened. We chatted a little. This was her third grandchild, eleven days old now, she’d come to help out.
(Someday I will get into the baby knitting thing and I know if I do I will never stop, but we’re not there yet.)Â I asked where she was visiting from, and when she said Cincinnati, I asked if she knew Gary M…?
(Right. What are the chances.)
“Well YEAH!” She looked at me in delight and explained how she and her husband knew him.
I told her, very pleased, “My husband’s cousin” –not adding in all the details like how Gary and his siblings and my husband and I had gotten to know each other better going to college together, etc etc.
And yet again the world shrinks down to people size.
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I called a lady I barely know, from growing up in our small town together, to tell her a mutual friend is going to be in town today. We will all get together for lunch. But the lady I called was quite curious as to how I was connected to the other one–I met her on the internet in 1996 and we have maintained a correspondence ever since, although we have never met in person until today. The “small world” events are such fun.
Comment by Sherry in Idaho 07.12.10 @ 7:31 amIt’s a small world, after all… I always loved that song as a kid…
Comment by Channon 07.12.10 @ 7:32 amIf I had to play that “six degrees of separation” game, I’d want to connect via you because you know everybody! (Okay, technically we’ve never met in person but say I had to get a message to some random person: I’d start with “Alison Hyde knows ‘X’ who knows….”) As for the baby thing, I think you do just fine with puppet provision. Adult shawl wearers and disgruntled toddlers can receive knitterly goodies.
Comment by LynnM 07.12.10 @ 8:18 amI love this sentence: “And yet again the world shrinks down to people size.”
So very true and humbling, isn’t it?
Comment by Suzanne in Montreal 07.12.10 @ 8:43 amIndeed it’s a small world. Reminds me of the time back in ’08 when you spotted me at Trader Joe’s.
As for saying ‘Hello’ to the lady in church, I must say that if there is a way to be kind to someone, you will find it.
Comment by Don Meyer 07.12.10 @ 9:36 amYep, people sized worlds. That’s what we need more of. It’s harder to demonize others who you recognize as people, and it’s hard to recognize people unless you are living in people sized worlds.
Comment by twinsetellen 07.12.10 @ 5:29 pmI have five grandkids. Do I knit for them? Occasionally. My knitting muse has a mind of her own.
Comment by Lynn 07.12.10 @ 5:41 pmGreat story!!! Thanks for sitting with that woman. I often find myself sitting alone and always appreciate someone else making a friendly effort to include me.
Comment by Joansie 07.13.10 @ 4:31 pmLeave a comment
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