Today for Thankful Thursdays, I am thankful for… Denis!
Denis is a stranger to me. I met him randomly as he took up seat on a couch next to me at a coffee shop on the coast this week. Denis is 81, and orders the same veggie juice daily from the same cafe. He sits at the same couch (that I had acquired) each day and he knows everybody that walks in and greets them like old long time friends.
Denis is a gentleman.
Denis and I got into a deep conversation about life. He asked me what does a butterfly teach us about living… and in that moment I knew I liked him instantly. At 81 Denis revealed that he knew he was once an arrogant man, he came from a prestigious and privileged life, growing up in Kirribilli, friends with former politicians and legal dignitaries and sharing stories from an era that I have a strong sense of connection and attraction with. We shared the lessons that we have both learnt about life, people, values, the difference between empathy and sympathy, vulnerability and our beliefs about the true meaning of joy…!
He shared his writings with me and the desire to expand consciousness.
I’m a big believer that people enter our lives (fleetingly or long-term) to share messages and teach us about ourselves. We live in a society where conversations take place over text messages or social media. Devices get more airtime than real life face-to-face chatter. And our inner introvert is nurtured by the lack of necessity to really talk. Denis unwittingly engaged for the joy of it. And I opened my heart and my mind to truly engage in return, with a stranger.
Denis left me with a message in one of his poems… “Know thyself, be all you can be.” A permission many of us don’t grant ourselves.
I wish there were more Denis’ in this world sharing their truth… with a stranger.
What or who are you thankful for today dear Nakeds?
With love, light and bundles of gratitude xx
