Connections

“Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to a divine purpose. From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: That we are here for the sake of others...for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day, I realize how much my outer and inner life is built upon the labors of people, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received.” ~ Albert Einstein

I am pretty sure that I have written about this before, but maybe more so in a "what draws me to other people" sort of way." Today I want to talk about connections with other people, places and things.

We have all experienced that moment when either:

1. You meet someone that you have an instant "kinship" with.

2. You see something you want to purchase and it is the perfect item you have been looking for.

3. Or you go somewhere and feel such an attraction to a place, and feel as if you have been there before or should remain there forever.

Why do we do that? Is this some type of divine moment? Is the universe trying to tell us something? Is this feeling connected with the whole intuition piece?

I can count 1/2 a dozen times this has happened to me. Places are easy to remember - I feel a "rooted" feeling. I am not sure that is the word I want to use - but extreme calm and almost like.. dare I say it.. a "love" for a place.

I feel that when I return to Savannah. I am in love with that city. You guys know I am not one to want to take root anywhere, but yes - I would move there and stay. I also felt that instantly in Alexandria, Egypt. Weird to say - but I felt like I had been there before.

Now I am going to share a story, and I hope you do not think I am a complete freak for sharing it. But here it goes:

When I was a little girl, I started having these reoccurring dreams. (This is a whole other blog post - but I will focus in on one dream in particular.) I dreamed I was older, and I was walking down a narrow street or alleyway in an old city. It was not America. People had dark hair, and the women (in my mind) looked like gypsies. There were lights strung from building across the street to another building. I could hear music. I could smell (what I thought was incense.) I felt like I was in love.

That's it.

Now fast forward 30 years- I am walking down the street at night in Alexandria with Yasser. We turn a corner and there was the street. I stopped, looked around and realized the "gypsies" I saw were women with hajib. The lights were strung across from Ramadan. The "incense" I smelled was the spices being sold on the street. The Dark haired people were the egyptians. I did not tell him at the time - but I thought to myself.. OH MY GOD.. I have dreamt of this place.

That is a prime example of the connection I felt.

I do the same thing with people. Sometimes, after a very good conversation, you feel such a kinship with someone. Age, race, educational background - none of it matters. There is a genuine "attraction" (not sexual) - but intellectual. I love when I meet people like that.

As for things, I have a few items in my possession that I would never part with (if I can help it.) They feel like an extension of who I am. Now, I am not talking about a tv or some other crap like that - more like my great grandmother's crucifix, which at close inspection is not very beautiful - but when I look at it - I think it is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

What people, places, things are you connected with?