I love that story so much Gail. Amazing connection & a new friend.
I had a lovely encounter with a stranger today in an A & E waiting area. My mum was being seen & I was not allowed in the cubicle until she had been tested for this & that.
The only seat available was between two men who were deep in conversation. I sat & apologised for stopping their conversation & offered to swap seats. They didn’t want that but suggested we try to find common ground to chat about. How civilized. They shared that they were talking about aviation & were surprised when I said I could join in with that. So we got chatting about avionics & airfields/ aircraft & then I discovered the avionics chap was a published author! He gave me his Business card so that I could tell my avionic husband all about his books. It really made my evening. I wanted to ask him so much more especially about his books but I was then called away.
Gosh Marie, what a story! How absolutely lovely that they made space for you to engage and that you took them up on it, and especially cool that you were able to chat about such a niche topic. Did you give the card to your husband yet? Maybe look the chap up online and send him an little email, telling him that it was a really heartwarming experience... let us know if you do! It's so nice to send those little waves reinforcing positivity out into the world isn't it. Thank you for sharing, and I also hope things with your Mum are going ok. Much love xx
Little update. It was really lovely. All these years of listening to my husband talk about aviation, I surprised myself 😂
Yes I gave him the card & he has downloaded the books already.
I have also emailed him as you suggested, thanking him for being so kind & also with an invite to visit where my hubby volunteers working on historic army aircraft. They love hosting people.
I feel buoyed by your friendly encounter! How wonderful to meet randomly and then take it further. One never knows where or when you might make a new friend ! Thanks for sharing this Gail!
Not as randomly as your encounter, but I have recently found camaraderie in a couple of new persons. Not truly a surprise as I've joined a water(pool) fitness class and these women partake also. We do have such a good time! An hour of outdoor activity, rain or shine, with music to sing loudly to as we get our bodies moving. Getting to know some of those nearest "my spot" and it makes me very happy. Hmmmm who will I meet today?!
I utterly love and have a deep belief in synchronicity - (to be clear, this is nothing to do with predestination).
Fave instance in books. ⬇️ I have others IRL too 😃
Kesey’s psychedelic bus crawls up into the Sierra, slowly running out of fuel. Tripped out ‘Merry Prankster’ passengers wailing ‘we’re all gonna die’ etc histrionics. Kesey announces it’ll all be cool, as a the turbo whine of a Chevron tanker becomes audible climbing the switchbacks.
Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe. May be true, but it is true.
I hear you on the synchronicity Bob! I love it to. I haven't read the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - I think I've always felt a little intimidated by it, as if it would be full of 'in jokes' from an era I missed so I wouldn't understand, but I've often been tempted to read it and I shouldn't let my imaginary blocks get in the way! I am most likely totally wrong. I think I tried to read...was it Naked Lunch? Burroughs? ...many years ago (in my late teens?), and found it it made me feel very stupid and slow for not quite getting it.🤪 I think I've been imagining all these years that any other books of a similar ilk are only for the cool, hip kids.🤣
This reminds me of meeting my now very good friend who lives in Germany (I am from the US). I had found her through an online story that she had written in English and was so engrossed in her book, that I wanted to read more of her writings but found she only had them written in German. That didn't stop me; I just google translated them in order to read them. I sent her an email thanking her for her stories she wrote and shared with the online community....and now we are great friends because of that one email. I've traveled to Korea with her, and she is planning on spending some time in the US this summer and staying with me. Without that email, our friendship would have never existed.
Wowsers Stephanie! This is such a lovely tale of friendship born out of the online connection (that we often see as being negative don't we). Well done for sending that initial email. I'm definitely going to be more proactive at reaching out too, because who knows where these lovely moments can lead, and even if we don't want them to lead anywhere they can still make someone's day. Thank you for sharing (and let us know how the lovely summer visit goes - how cool that she's coming over!) xx
At the tender age of seventy three, throwing myself on God's mercy sounds like an excellent plan.
That's a great throw Steven, and indeed a tender age! :) x
I love that story so much Gail. Amazing connection & a new friend.
I had a lovely encounter with a stranger today in an A & E waiting area. My mum was being seen & I was not allowed in the cubicle until she had been tested for this & that.
The only seat available was between two men who were deep in conversation. I sat & apologised for stopping their conversation & offered to swap seats. They didn’t want that but suggested we try to find common ground to chat about. How civilized. They shared that they were talking about aviation & were surprised when I said I could join in with that. So we got chatting about avionics & airfields/ aircraft & then I discovered the avionics chap was a published author! He gave me his Business card so that I could tell my avionic husband all about his books. It really made my evening. I wanted to ask him so much more especially about his books but I was then called away.
Gosh Marie, what a story! How absolutely lovely that they made space for you to engage and that you took them up on it, and especially cool that you were able to chat about such a niche topic. Did you give the card to your husband yet? Maybe look the chap up online and send him an little email, telling him that it was a really heartwarming experience... let us know if you do! It's so nice to send those little waves reinforcing positivity out into the world isn't it. Thank you for sharing, and I also hope things with your Mum are going ok. Much love xx
Thanks Gail.
Little update. It was really lovely. All these years of listening to my husband talk about aviation, I surprised myself 😂
Yes I gave him the card & he has downloaded the books already.
I have also emailed him as you suggested, thanking him for being so kind & also with an invite to visit where my hubby volunteers working on historic army aircraft. They love hosting people.
😊
This is awesomeeeeeee! Thank you for the update, and for spreading cheer, positivity and connectivity! xxx You rock xx
I feel buoyed by your friendly encounter! How wonderful to meet randomly and then take it further. One never knows where or when you might make a new friend ! Thanks for sharing this Gail!
Absolutely that Shari! I wonder who you'll meet today. :) xx
Not as randomly as your encounter, but I have recently found camaraderie in a couple of new persons. Not truly a surprise as I've joined a water(pool) fitness class and these women partake also. We do have such a good time! An hour of outdoor activity, rain or shine, with music to sing loudly to as we get our bodies moving. Getting to know some of those nearest "my spot" and it makes me very happy. Hmmmm who will I meet today?!
I utterly love and have a deep belief in synchronicity - (to be clear, this is nothing to do with predestination).
Fave instance in books. ⬇️ I have others IRL too 😃
Kesey’s psychedelic bus crawls up into the Sierra, slowly running out of fuel. Tripped out ‘Merry Prankster’ passengers wailing ‘we’re all gonna die’ etc histrionics. Kesey announces it’ll all be cool, as a the turbo whine of a Chevron tanker becomes audible climbing the switchbacks.
Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe. May be true, but it is true.
I hear you on the synchronicity Bob! I love it to. I haven't read the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - I think I've always felt a little intimidated by it, as if it would be full of 'in jokes' from an era I missed so I wouldn't understand, but I've often been tempted to read it and I shouldn't let my imaginary blocks get in the way! I am most likely totally wrong. I think I tried to read...was it Naked Lunch? Burroughs? ...many years ago (in my late teens?), and found it it made me feel very stupid and slow for not quite getting it.🤪 I think I've been imagining all these years that any other books of a similar ilk are only for the cool, hip kids.🤣
This reminds me of meeting my now very good friend who lives in Germany (I am from the US). I had found her through an online story that she had written in English and was so engrossed in her book, that I wanted to read more of her writings but found she only had them written in German. That didn't stop me; I just google translated them in order to read them. I sent her an email thanking her for her stories she wrote and shared with the online community....and now we are great friends because of that one email. I've traveled to Korea with her, and she is planning on spending some time in the US this summer and staying with me. Without that email, our friendship would have never existed.
Wowsers Stephanie! This is such a lovely tale of friendship born out of the online connection (that we often see as being negative don't we). Well done for sending that initial email. I'm definitely going to be more proactive at reaching out too, because who knows where these lovely moments can lead, and even if we don't want them to lead anywhere they can still make someone's day. Thank you for sharing (and let us know how the lovely summer visit goes - how cool that she's coming over!) xx