Connections

Sometime in the distant past a woman wrote a novel that became an American classic.  She and I are not related and although I saw the movie, I never read the novel until a few years ago.

Then, yesterday, out of the blue, it was announced that she was releasing another novel. Also written long ago and coming out amid much controversy this summer.

And that announcement has connected her to me through another unlikely set of events that has my best friend being interviewed by media from all over the world.

I feel like Spock playing 3D chess sometimes when I try to think of life and what it means to me.

Life is like a personal ocean of connections.  My appearance, my genes, my thoughts, my actions all emanate out from me and become entangled in those of everyone around me. 

Whatever happens to one of us touches all of us even if we don't know it.

Burn a man alive, or refuse to inoculate your child against measles and you blind people, kill people, bring sorrow and shame into the world.

Feed the hungry, or say a kind word to a needy soul and you raise the spirits and possible good will of more people than you will ever know.

Today I am so excited about a book a woman wrote over 55 years ago.  It touches me profoundly. And yet, I never even knew she existed much of my life and will die without ever meeting her.