What the World Needs Now

 

Jessica Lee, my dear friend came to visit this week—along with her handsome husband, Marc.

He’s Canadian.

Thanks to my husband’s genealogical research, I just learned that Marc and I are cousins! Well, 10th cousins on my French-Canadian side, but still. Cousins!

When I told Marc about this, he said something so funny and so wonderful to me--

Well, if you go back far enough, we’re all cousins, aren’t we?

I love this, because often in my life when I’ve met someone new, I think, but don’t I know you? Haven’t we already met? You look familiar!

I get that feeling whenever I’m on the New York City subway, looking at all the faces. I will focus in on one in particular person because I feel sure I knew her back in 1976. Didn’t we go to H.B. Studio together? Didn’t I meet you grocery shopping at Pioneer? Didn’t I bump into you at Screaming Mimi’s?

As I get older, this sense of connection grows stronger. Sometimes it feels as if the universe is preparing me to join in on a huge dinner party of epic proportions—with all these people sitting at a very long dinner table. It’s so long, it goes on and on over mountains and hills, rivers and valleys. It’s filled with old friends and family, along with a whole lot of new people. But still, up there at the great dinner party in the sky, we’re all a part of the family.

That’s because, we’re all cousins!

Didn’t Elvis Presley say something about that?

Truly, wouldn’t the world be a more peaceful place if we embraced the knowledge that we’re all in this together and the key to our happiness is learning to get along and love one another?

Creative Friends--Let go of the construct of division. Re-look at the things that separate you from others--the clubs, the teams, the secret handshakes, even the color-coded signifiers. Rather, open your heart and look into the face of a stranger and ask, haven’t we met before?

After all, we’re sharing this world together and yes, we really are all cousins.

Love,

Jamie