A powerful way to
connect as community
A guest
blog by Adele
Every morning I walk to work I have a wee conversation with the fellow
who works in the plant hire store across the road. I cut through the
yard, and enjoy our morning exchange. Sometimes he ribs me about being
late. Sometimes we talk about jumping in puddles. Sometimes we just
say good morning.
Yesterday it was the latter. He was busy; up to his armpits in
nuts, bolts and a healthy quantum of grease. But we both smiled; that’s
where the money is. I felt happy as I wandered up the small hill towards
town.
At the top of the hill I passed a woman and her daughter. The woman’s hair was covered, but her face was feeling the cool air as much as
mine. She held her daughter’s hand tightly. Her daughter was
blissfully unaware that she and her mother shared the footpath with
others. She balanced on garden edgings singing ‘This old man’ with great
confidence and not an insignificant amount of pride. I smiled broadly at
the mother. She looked shyly up and commenced a bland ‘How do you do?’
type smile. On meeting my eyes, we shared a silent moment acknowledging
how precious her daughter is. Her smile grew, and she was delighted.
And so I felt delighted too. Then as I crossed the park, I waved
a morning greeting at the leaf blowing man. He always seems to look for
me in the mornings. Maybe I’m the only person who greets him. He
waved happily at me. And this made me feel even better.
As I walked in the door to my work, it didn’t matter that my much loved
colleagues were engrossed in their day. I felt buoyant from those moments
I’d shared with strangers. And there’s no doubt that my team will laugh
later. About something. Together. It’s what we do.
Should we say good morning more?
Adele is purveyor of style and architecture. She recently bought a sixties
apartment in Sandy Bay and walks along Sandy Bay Road and through St David’s
Park each morning, enjoying the community, the changing seasons and her
internal monologue. Her head firmly in
the clouds, her sojourns to reality leave her scarpering to a safer place of
creative escape at every opportunity.
