Brief moment of connection

My body is aching for healing. I need help, help to see how to get through the darkness. I’m searching but I just can’t seem to find what I’m looking for. I feel like I’m seeking for the keys to my success inside a pitch black room, desperately clutching at objects trying to find my way out. I feel like I’ve fallen into a hole and have no means to get out. I have lost my voice and lost myself. I need someone to come and help me out of here.

These thoughts were rushing through my head while I was walking to the shopping centre. Over and over I thought how deep into the darkness I had fallen. I was walking with a real heaviness weighing me down. I looked up and saw a woman walking in front of me. She had green pants and a brown top on and seemed like a really down-to-earth person. She had brown curly hair and a nice smile. I saw her help an old lady with her shopping just outside the automatic doors at the entrance to Woolies. This older lady was so frail and was wheeling her trolley out the doors. The younger woman saw her struggling to open her back car boot while holding the shopping she had gotten out of the trolley.

“Are you okay there? Do you need some help?” said the younger woman.

”Yes please love, that would be nice,” said the older lady. She accepted her help gracefully and gratefully. “You’re so kind for offering” she added.

“It’s no problem at all. Happy to help!” The younger woman said with a zest for life and a kick in her step. She immediately grabbed the bags from the older lady and took the weight of the car boot door from this frail old lady’s hands. You could really see how old this woman was when she was standing next to this young, powerful and vibrant young woman helping her. There was an air of confidence and charm about this woman. The way she moved was mesmerising. And when she laughed, it set my heart on fire.

She first laughed when an apple fell out of the bag and landed on the ground.

The older lady said “Ah well, an apple a day keeps the doctor away and I don’t want to see the doctor. Can you grab that apple for me darling, looks like I’ll be needing it.”

A smile broadened on her face and a laugh radiated out of this woman, at the older lady’s humour and wit. You could tell that the younger woman enjoyed the company of older people. There was and ease and grace about her in the way that she interacted with the older lady.

She helped her to the front seat of the car and helped her into the seat. Grabbing firmly onto the older lady’s arm.

“Okay then, get home safe” said the younger woman.

”Thank you so much love, I really appreciate your help,” said the older lady “Have a wonderful day! Oh and here”. She handed her an apple. “To keep the doctor away!” said the older lady, with a giggle.

”Oh, thank you so much. You have a wonderful day too! Bye!” said the younger woman, also laughing.

She walked away towards the automatic doors and as she was entering the shops, a smile spread gently across her face as she tucked the apple away into her bag. Another beautiful smile. I could tell that she was happy with herself for helping the older lady. A look of pride and honour washed over her. She looked content. Happy.

Seeing this encounter reminded me that even in our darkest moments, we can witness something beautiful. It made me feel alive to see that encounter. That brief moment of connection. That brief glimmer on the ocean. Sparkling, reflecting the light of the sun on the water to create the most magical display of colours and lightbeams. Like fireworks on the ocean. Dipping and diving in a divine dance. Like deities. Goddesses of light and water.

After my encounter with witnessing that woman help the older lady I felt renewed and rejuvenated. Maybe even invigorated, I wanted to get out of my head and into my body. So I walked down to the beach, as I reared onto the main ocean esplanade, I caught a whiff of that fresh, salty ocean air.

My skin pricked up and I felt alive once again. The sound of the waves crashing on the shore send shivers down my spine. My body needed this. And I was right on time. The sun was just setting over the ocean with the glasshouse mountains in the background. And just as my metaphor predicted, the water was alight with beams of light all dancing together in perfect synergy.

The water was the colour I could only describe as cosmic. It was part pink, part orange and part blue. Cosmic. A cosmic soup dancing and intertwining. Magically interwoven and interconnected. As I was admiring the ocean, the first stars started dotting the sky. And then I saw a shooting star. I gasped.

I closed my eyes and made a wish. “I wish to be happy!” I thought of the woman I had seen earlier that day and how much she inspired me. Her sense of joy, stability, balance and peace was undeniable. She motivated me to step out of my comfort zone and find some inner peace. Away from the constant chatter of my mind.

I felt myself breathing in the salty ocean air, the smell of seaweed and salt filled my nostrils. There was seagulls gawking in the background and the sounds of the pine trees swaying in the gentle breeze filled my ears. The waves kept crashing. And crashing. The ocean never stops. And neither does our energy, it is constantly fluctuating and changing. Dynamic and directionless. Or perhaps it does have direction, if we channel it into things like art or music.

I thought about some of my favourite music and promised myself to go home and do some art when I got home. I hand’t drawn for such a long time and my body was craving to transmute these emotions and this brief moment of connection into art or music.

As I opened my eyes the moon had just appeared in the now night sky. The sky was varying colours of blue and purple and black had started to fill the void above us all. The milky way was dotting the sky like a great cosmic highway.

I sat under the moon for some time, connecting with my heart space and gentle loving awareness. I put my hands on my chest and really felt my heart beating in my chest. I really felt connected to my heart.

When I got home, I drew a big love heart inside of a patterned background. There was varying tones and shades of earthy colours mixed in with some more vibrant colours to add contrast.

I felt like I was drawing my energy. And incorporating my emotions and my energy into what I wanted to portray. For me it felt like I was conveying universal love energy. The love shared in a brief moment of connection. Energy and time.

I hung it on my wall with all of my other artworks and felt content and happy. Just like the woman who radiated joy had shown me.