|| fully engaged and continually surprised ||

I'm falling in love.

Not romantically… well…not yet… there is a man who has captured my eye and heart… but that's another story.

I'm falling in love with people. This last week, I determined to be fully engaged.. laying aside distractions, technology, my random thoughts to be fully fully present. It's created some pretty amazing moments that have taken my breathe away.

Last Sunday it started with 2 UTurns to go the Juice Bar. I ended up sitting and talking to a girl sitting next to me as she waited on her drink. Sarah. She was lovely and had a lovely story… she was heading to spend time with a friend who is a caretaker for her parents and is exhausted. I gave her my card and told her to call or email if she need any resources of any sort to help her. God thing.

Wednesday, I think I'm headed to a community night at one of my churches campuses with a group from our greeting team. After realizing I am in the wrong location, I am invited to stay, so, I relish the fact that my other plan for the evening was thwarted, so, I stay and embrace the evening. Following a pretty fantastic game of ping pong, I sit to eat pizza with some teenagers and a guy sits next to me and after discussing pizza toppings, we build a friendship. Rayshawn. We end up sharing the evening together with giant Jenga and taking part in an epic small group conversations. We are completely different, but for an evening, I felt like a friend and a big sister.

Thursday after some amazingggg sand volleyball with friends and ice*cream, I went to TJ Maxx for a last minute gift. After getting into the really really long line, I determine to not touch my phone, and to allow for any random moments to just come. I meet a girl who works for a Hospice company. Taylore. We end up talking and sharing stories the entirety of the line and exiting the store, we exchange cards and relish the serendipity of the moment.

Saturday, after a run, I decide to grocery shop to prep meals for the week. I go to Kroger and as I am casually lingering in the aisles, as I am walking past an aisle, a sweet lady asks me if I like her hat. Clara. It's a rustic cowboy hat. I think she just wants to do know how beautiful it looks on her. When, in reality, she thinks Kroger is selling it, come to find out, its been abandoned and after encouragement, she ends up talking to the Kroger employees and takes it home.

I am learning that sometimes love looks like the little moments. Sometimes love looks like just listening. Sometimes love comes in a smile or a hug. Sometimes love looks like just being present, fully engaged, and ready to be surprised.