Moments of connection
3/12/25
Writing to survive the trump administration. Episode 48: Moments of connection
Our neighbor died unexpectedly at the end of last summer, and I found myself feeling SO SAD that he was gone, and also feeling some regret and guilt for not appreciating him more while he was alive. He was a dependable fixture in our neighborhood – almost always sitting on his porch or working in his yard, keeping an eye on everything going on.
Because he was always in front of his house, I knew that whenever I would go out for a walk, he would probably try to flag me down for some small talk… and I HATE small talk. I’m not good at it. Now, I miss his constant presence and the way I always knew he was keeping an eye on the neighborhood.
So, now that his daughter is getting ready to move in, I’ve been making a point to say hi and talk with her for a few minutes whenever I see her over there. Maybe small talk is hard for me and feels awkward, but it’s also a way to make moments of meaningful connection with our fellow human beings. And we can do hard things.