It made me laugh. Thinking of how I’m always trying to straddle two worlds. She was sitting at the outdoor cafe when I walked by. She was reading her English translation book, while eating Sushi and a bag of potato chips.
I suppose we never leave behind one place to get to the next. We carry all of our experiences. Some as rocks in shoes. Others as perfectly worn tread. Both gifts.
I’m reminded of the saying, “walk a mile in their shoes…”, but I wonder if that’s really necessary. Do we have to experience everything to be understanding? Isn’t it enough to know we’re all on a journey? Our victories and losses along the way will vary. But certainly, being human, we possess the wherewithal to know we’re all having them. Can’t we connect without “trading shoes”? (Because I don’t think we’d do it anyway.) What if we all just gathered in the skips and the stumbles? Shared the path…
I have been lost in translation too many times to count. In my own French way, I’ve ordered the “potato chips with the sushi” – just to try to fit in. Knowing how easily that door can close, I have to leave it open for others.
I don’t know if my smile relayed all of that as I passed by, but I hope so. She smiled in return. A little always gets through.
