Blue Chair Weekend

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Comments

[Joanna Young]

Rosa, there is something so very powerful about that simple but compelling message... and the photo - that I know will stay with me for a long time.

This weekend I'm talking story with my six year old nephew, over visiting from Hungary. It's fascinating to see how quickly he learns, including the way he assimilates his experiences and then turns them into his own narrative. It's wonderful to see things through a child's eyes.

Enjoy your weekend!

Joanna

[Stephanie]

Hi Rosa,

In my quest to engage others I am constantly left feeling lonely. However, every once in a while, when I least expect it, I am pleasantly surprised.

Today while at Starbucks a man and his two young boys engaged me. The man announced that he was letting his eldest boy have a sip of espresso...

You should have seen the excitement glowing from every part of his being while he awaited the moment in great anticipation. Although he didn't much care for it after the sip, I am thrilled to have witnessed his excitement and willingness to explore!

Thank you for allowing me to share this experience!

-Steph

[Rosa Say]

I was talking story with a friend a bit earlier who had similar things to say Joanna: We were both in awe over last night's telecast of the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in Beijing, and we compared the very adult reactions of the viewing around my television set with those of hers. She has a 7-year old and an 8-year old and they did something I wish I had done: Read and talk about a huge wall map of the world as they watched the parade of nations. It spun off into all kinds of imaginings of what life might be like in other parts of the world.

[Rosa Say]

What a great story Steph, thank you for sharing that! I love engaging strangers when I am waiting in line: Usually we both are so eager to pass the time more happily engaged than staring at the back of someone else's head! It's a fun, no-strings-attached since I don't know you kind of conversation.

The last time it happened was at Arby's: A gentleman and I started talking about the sauerkraut they have on the menu, of all things. He was a good bit older than me, and he told me of how he grew up with his mom making sauerkraut on a pretty regular basis. He said he loved to scoop up big handfuls of it when it wasn't yet done, but still crunchy. He was amazed that with all the international blending of foods that we grow up with in Hawai‘i, though I like it, to me sauerkraut is just something that comes out of a can. Meanwhile I know exactly what my son is thinking as he silently listened to us both with a slight grin on his face:

*You two can talk about that stuff with every good memory you can think of, but I still hate it!*

[Ulla]

Hi Rosa,
I was talking story on thursday with a woman I've never seen before. I met her sitting on a bench at the Landwehrkanal in Berlin, going through her hand-written notices. I asked her whether she had brought with her a lot of work, and she told me that in her free time she writes poems and song-texts. We had a long talk about culture, authors and such things and in the end we decided to have a second meeting at the Greek restaurant near where I am living. We both had a great evening yesterday.

[Rosa Say]

Fabulous Ulla! Your chance meeting may evolve to a new, fascinating friendship.

Your story got me thinking about loneliness (though I know that the word does not describe you!) and how it is a sad, and unhealthy state of being that is so totally unnecessary. Further, it may have one of the quickest cures of all; we just need reach out, and not be discouraged by the few who do not respond in kind - there are so many others who will, and who will truly surprise us.