A few weeks ago, I had an interesting experience. I took some hands on healing classes where I met some new people and saw some old friends. I enjoyed all of them. The interesting thing about one particular class was that healers from the past and present were called together.
As I sat and listened to shared stories from the teacher and students, thinking it was nice to hear all the different experiences. I was wanting to contribute but not having one to share of my own (Maybe one day I'll have a nail biter! One where you'll be at the edge of your seat... hanging on every last word... Nope, I highly doubt it! Ha! Ha!)
The teacher said he wanted to try something, asking us all to stand in a line, shoulder to shoulder. We did, he then took the first person and turned them to face the second in the line and said: "Go to each person, look into their eyes, hold their hands and let them tell you what they admire or like about you." I was thinking WHAT the WHAT??? Sure, I know some here very well but others just by their face..not even by name! Next I thought UGH.. hold hands each time (my palms started to sweat just at the thought of it.)
I glanced down the line being close to the end, thinking (What will I say? I hardly know this woman making her way towards me..) As she came down the line a strange thing happened... I just felt a calm, as she reached me words just flowed out of my mouth. As I looked deeply into each person's eyes I realized I've been affected by all of them at one time or another. I remembered just a few small interactions with some, with others lots of things that I admired or was inspired by flooded into my mind.
Most people that were on the receiving end wound up in tears. When it was my turn to hear things about me... I smiled nervously, thinking (what could I possibly hear..?) One by one... looking into their eyes (and reluctantly giving them my damp hands), each spoke on how I have impacted them in some way... small or large... it was a huge eye opener for me.
I mean, really, you may have done this in a fleeting moment to a close loved one... but to pause, look into the eyes of friends and acquaintances while holding hands. What? Listening to non-stop positive things about yourself! Seeing yourself through another's eyes! I mean can you even imagine?
Well, I was moved by the barrage of kind comments that hit my ears. It's good to be reminded that the little things we do without thinking can have such a huge impact on others. As I reached one of the several dear friends in line.. I held his hands and looked into his teary eyes... I knew there was no need to say anything... it was such a wonderful moment... my heart could have burst. How could you not feel after something like that? I then understood the water works.
That exercise gave me lots to think about... It shined a light on all sorts of things... Maybe, I should take a moment to tell people in my day to day life something that I admire about them instead of assuming they know already (But not in a creepy let me hold your hands in my sweaty hands and stare at you for an uncomfortable long time kind of way.)
The biggest thing for me was learning how others view me, and for that, I am incredibly grateful.