Encountering Change

I just looked at her while she shared her best hopes.

I encountered a grace moment not long ago. A former student and I found each other by surprise in a coffee shop where I was writing my latest blog. We briefly reconnected first about life in general, and then moved on to writing and reading, pastimes we both shared. She talked more about her busy lifestyle, stressing, as a reader, the importance of rich content within few words. She wanted short, memorable and shareable text.

“We’re so busy,” she stated about her generation; “reading lots of text is really hard to commit to doing. I choose shorter things, finding ideas that catch my attention.” She continued on about needing thoughts that just jump out at her . . . perceptions she would want to apply to her own life as well as pass on to others. Her expression eagerly invites me to agree to the sense of this proposal for my blog.

Hmmmm . . .

We hug warmly and I thank her for sharing her ideas. Then I just watch as she finally collects her mobile order and runs out the door. I think about how my writing process might fold more into the needs of Xennials, and beyond. I’m an author, a wordsmith . . . and we need words to smith . . . right? Still, I’m a believer that less can often turn into more – in this case more trust that every individual reader is wise enough to derive what each wants or needs from the spare beauty of one set of perfectly-phrased words.

So, I’m trying Laura’s suggestion today. Fortunately. . . or unfortunately, depending on your personal schedule and reader needs, it took me 298 words to get to this point. Now that you know my purpose, there will be fewer next time I try this format.

With no further explanation, bells, whistles, colors or fanfare, I give you Mother Teresa. May her words catch your attention and bring you some wisdom for sharing. May she make a difference in your today’s life.

“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten we belong to each other.”

Always sending grace to surround you –

Jane