I caught myself. Guilty!

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As I was standing in line at the grocery store, cell phone in one hand, fingers moving quickly while emailing in the other hand, I suddenly felt disconnected.

I felt disconnected to the person who was serving me, ringing up my groceries, helping me, working as quickly as possible to get me through the line and on my way and out the door.

It felt odd.

I looked up, put my phone down, and then I apologized.

I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be on my phone while checking out. How rude of me!

I’m not sure what’s happened to our society, but I’m just as guilty as anyone. I’ve caught myself several times doing the above, and it feels yucky. So impersonal, so disrespectful, so rude.

From now on I am going to try to be more aware of the people around me, rather than the technology in my hand.

And then I had a moment last week of “connecting.” I work part time at a very cool design store in southern Oregon, and see many wonderful people come through the doors.

This warm fall afternoon a little lady came in with 2 bags on her arm. She was tiny, small bones, dressed very fashionable, and you could just tell she knew what she wanted. She was kind, had a twinkle in her eye, asked me a few questions, and then she set her bags down and opened one up.

I have something for you.

I felt like a little girl waiting for a one-cent piece of candy.

Inside the bag she pulled out the most beautiful heirloom tomato I had ever seen and offered it to me.

What happened next felt right.

We had the warmest conversation. A true connection. I found myself loving the dialogue with this complete stranger.

Face time. One-on-one.

I brought the tomato home, took a quick picture, and then I set it out in the sun to warm up, as if it were picked off the vine.

Warmer connections come when we stop what we are doing and engage with others, even with complete strangers.

You never know when you will brighten someone’s day, even in the grocery line.

Does technology ever get in the way of your personal contact with others?

If you missed previous days to 31 Days of Warm Connections …
Day 1 (and 700 31 Day Bloggers): Secret Ingredient to Warmer Connections
Day 2: Bringing the Beauty of Autumn to Your Table
Day 3: Multi-Generational Pear Applesauce
Day 4: Canning Suncrest Peaches with a Friend
Day 5: How to Find Contentment
Day 6: Encouragement with Easy Pear Cobbler
Day 7: Bush’s Garbanzos, Chicken, and Quinoa Soup for a Sports Family
Day 8: More About Others