I went to an Anniversary dinner the other night. I reflected to my good friend’s husband that I could see how he had been her rock all these years. He asked how I could see that. I said because she has been able to kill it in her career with the confidence that the family and home front was handled. He had been a solid base for her to literally change the world. Then I gave him a side hug with all the warmth of my gratitude for what he had given her. This interaction had an echo. The next day, I could still feel the echo. Warmth, appreciation, and respect. He had been seen. I had seen.
Every interaction has an echo.
The people doing construction next door to our house kept blocking my driveway so I couldn’t get out in a rush. I walked up to them and asked impatiently for them to move their truck and said that I didn’t like that this kept happening. This interaction had an echo, too.
Every interaction has an echo.
I had been meeting with the parents of some kids who bullied my son. It was painful. They felt terrible for what was happening which helped me to succumb to blame. We are all works in progress - doing our best. The parents were proactive and empathetic. We bonded. Experiences that initially made me want to leave the school made me feel more deeply connected and invested.
Every interaction has an echo.