A Joyous Perspective on Connections: My how they have grown...

It's Friday, and time for another Friday Night Thought Tale Hour with the Hendersons. In the past week, I've found myself a bit astounded at the ways this little blog and my small social media outputs have connected me to the giant world around me. Just last week, as I flew home from California, I found myself sitting next to a woman I had never met who followed this blog. Then later, as I shared the book she authored with a loved one, they told me they had already read it. And several times this week, I've received an encouraging word from people who have told me how my daily shared messages are vital to them and provide a little lift for their day. All this, while at times find myself cursing under my breath at yet another way I see the electronic connections we all have seemingly drive us further apart. So what to take from these very diverse experiences?

Perhaps it's all a matter of perspective?

Sterling Brown said, "Empathy begins from understanding life from another person's perspective. Nobody has an objective experience of reality. It's all through our own individual prisms." Try as we might to read comments, posts, and tweets from another person with understanding, we merely are only getting part of the story. As we understand, our brain is adding millions - no probably more than a delineating number exists - of ideas, experiences, feelings, beliefs... It's like throwing a can of colored paint on a canvas we see before us. We color what we read with our perspective. And yet, I find myself making a judgment or dictating a decision based on what I've just read from another human. How is this ever okay? Shouldn't we all become more aware of how our words impact many more people than ever before?

It's kinda become a big responsibility.

What was once a quick quip shared as an afterthought is now in electronic libraries for all time. Oh, so you think you've only shared it with your 'friends'...? It's time to stop being naive. The ability to share your opinions has just gone viral, and you go viral every day, even if it's in a smaller number than some others. We are now so connected to people we would never have met in person. To people we have nothing really in common with. To people, we may not want to be connected with...

The days of segregating ourselves from others are over people.

The best part of social media connections to me is that it really brings us all together. We can't control the outcomes once we throw ourselves into the vast chasm. It's kinda like when we were just learning about how the primary colors mixed together would make another color. Remember the first time you mixed red, blue and orange together? Yeah, it's like that. Welcome to the world of a bizarre color with no name. Narcissists love it, introverts cringe.

Perhaps we are more "One Tribe" Y'all than ever?

We join groups, and we assign descriptions, but in the end, we are all blending together in this space that has no limits. Like the amoeba we viewed under the microscope, we are moving broader and wider into areas once thought unavailable. We touch lives once unknown. We cause reactions with thoughts once untouchable. And I guess I've come to believe it's a good thing. If we can stretch and see every view first as being filtered through the prism of our personal perspective, then maybe, just maybe, we can find that little bit of empathy for others. And maybe...

It'll bring us closer together?

So tonight, Chris and I will be drinking something I call, "Stirred, not Shaken". No colors, no definitions, just a simple combination of lovely flavors. Just like the loveliness I will choose to see in all of the flavors of folks I get to blend with every day, through the prism of my joyous perspective. Cheers, Friends.

Joy's Stirred, not Shaken Cocktail**

1 oz of Peach Vodka

1 oz of Apple Schnapps

1 oz of White Rum

Splash of Soda

Crushed ice

Slice of Pear

Pour all into a shaker filled with ice. Stir. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a Pear sliver.

**Always drink responsibly