August 25, 2024- I went over to a pub where a friend works, but found friend was off-shift. I hadn’t been back there for some time, but enjoyed my usual: Non-alcoholic brew with a BLTA (bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado). I don’t stay long, as the pace in that particular establishment is quite frenetic, not really a spot for conversations; it’s more for watching football games, or maybe the World Series, in October.

I mention this, because so much of our contact with others is fleeting. I tend to view people as friends, even when I don’t see them often. Some use the term “acquaintances”, which seems to me to be rather cold, though it’s a fair description of store clerks, or random people, with whom I interact maybe once or twice.

I just don’t see people as “others”. Their wants, needs and aspirations are just as valid as mine. This occurs to me in most, if not all, situations-from looking behind me to see if someone else needs to get through a door, turn into a parking lot which I may be crossing on foot, or approaching rapidly, (in which case I need to make a quick assessment of what the person may be trying to accomplish). This last rarely happens anymore. It’s also a good idea to be looking in all four (or five) directions, when driving, as any given motorist could be engaged in any number of tasks, or headed for any number of destinations, experiencing any number of emotions. It is often described as “maddening”, but that is a big reason why I leave a lot of time between leaving where I am parked and where I am headed.

There is also the quality of interactions between my friends and I. Any one of us could be going through a plethora of emotional stresses, which we just might not want to lay on a given person-so taking the measure of a person’s body language, heeding their request to NOT speak of a given subject and cutting her/him some slack when a less than congenial vibe is offered are each key to continuing said friendship, if not strengthening it. Even silence, for a period of time, is not a red flag of impending separation.

I get on better, when not thinking “That’s THEM, that’s THOSE OTHERS, not me”. We’re all in the bubble.