Hump Day Happies: A Tale in the Telling

I recognized something inside of me this past weekend: I just love hearing people tell stories about their past.  Now, I don't mean having someone give me an account of something that happened to them last week- though there are chances that those stories will be interesting.  But I'm talking about someone who is older, lets say your parents' age or your grandparents' age, recaling a moment that happened in their lives decades ago.  Growing up I always wanted to have an old man or lady as a neighbour. I had seen so many movies of people sitting on their neighbour's decks, listening to stories of war, first loves, lost loves...

I met an older man this weekend who started his own story with "I had such a great bike back when I was 17 or 18..." Right away, all I could do was try my best to listen while envisioning this older man as a teenager, growing up in the 60s, riding his motorcycle.  I tried to picture what he looked like, what color his hair was and what kind of clothing he was wearing.  What impressed me the most was the excitement he had present in his voice when talking about his old motorcycle.  It made me realize that beneath the wrinkles, the grey hairs, the sweater vests and the psychology degrees, this man still carried his youthful passion on his sleeve.  That is when I found myself thinking how truly amazing it must feel to recount the happy moments we tend to label as our past.  Yes, they may have happened years ago, but recalling them can still leave you with a warm sensation inside.  I also sat down with my mom on Sunday, and she told me from beginning to end stories I had never heard in such great detail before: her wedding, the days my brothers were born, the day I was born...The connection I already shared with my mom seemed to become even stronger because we took the time to sit down together and talk about the past.  I envisioned myself, 20 years from now, maybe even 40 years from now, talking to my family and saying "Let me tell you about this yoga teacher I once had..." or "Did I ever tell you about the first time I did yoga?" It's these kinds of stories that allow us to seep into someone's soul, and pull away an account of something we maybe hadn't known was there.  What we know of someone on the surface might seem obvious, but having them open their mouths and start sharing stories with us is such a great way to really know someone, and to get excited about recalling your own past, in the future. 

So on this Hump Day (and what a sunny one at that!), lets look forward to sharing our own life's stories.  Growing old doesn't all have to be sagging skin and hearing aids.  Lets start locking our most precious memories inside this vault we call our brain, and make sure we share them with people for the years to come.  It will make you smile, and make others around you smile, too.

Namaste,
Lady Lotus