We don't often acknowledge the existence of people we don't know
Those we don't find safe to talk to
But very occasionally, we give a brief gesture, mumble or glance
in their direction
Signals which can mean anything from 'stay off my territory'
to 'I find you attractive, but I'm too scared to act on this inclination'
But there is one type of engagement with strangers which I really treasure.
One that looks like nothing to the mere outsider.
The Nod.
Not just 'a nod' but 'The Nod'. The one that says:
We are both insignificantly small beings, on an
insignificantly small piece of rock hurtling at many miles an hour through
space.
And on that insignificant rock there are billions and
billions of humans, all of whom have an entirely unique perspective on life and
history of experience of their time on this earth.
That out of all these billions and billions of beings, our paths, yours and mine, have happen to
cross just once.
They may do so again, but we wont realise so it doesn't
count then.
But this time, we share the moment, not only of how unlikely
and insignificant we are, but of how unique and how special we are as well.
That our past, our decisions and our experiences have
bought us both to this point are both different and will take us
different places in the future, but right now we're at the same point in time
and space, and experiencing this same moment of life together.
And we acknowledge that with The Nod.
