Day 3 - Receiving care and attention

Have you ever been on the receiving end of care and attention? How did it feel?

I have and it feels wonderful. We have so many flat, banal encounters in our average day that someone who listens with care and attention can feel like a cool spring in a dusty landscape. The quality of their attention brings a little magic to the conversation. A few sparkles come into being where there was just 'sameness'.

At our local Tesco checkouts the assistants are frequently so tired and bored that they barely notice the people passing their tills. So I always make a point of saying 'Hello' with a smile and making eye-contact. It's purely selfish really, because when they respond in the same way, I have to say it really does feel good. But either way, I believe it is because, in that moment, we fleetingly shared care and attention.

One of my friends, Georgeanne Lamont, embodies these characteristics in a way I have rarely experienced. Anything she has ever done for me is imbued with what can only be described as grace. She puts such care and attention into every single thing that she does that even the most mundane things take on the essence of tiny crafted gifts, as if they were transformed by her deep thoughtfulness.

Am I closer to my life purpose? I can honestly say that in the past three days I have lived more richly, with a deeper sense of quality, than I would have thought possible. If creating a richer life is part of my life purpose, then I think I've started walking on the road.