I periodically travel across the United States to share time with my children and our extended family. It is a joy to share time and love and experiences with those I seldom see. So many unique faces and personalities; so many different levels of awareness. My own awareness level is changing almost daily and I am beginning to recognize how that affects my interactions with others.

I am reminded of biblical passages studied in my years as a bible teacher. In Matthew 13:3-9, Jesus tells the parable of the sower. He speaks of seed falling on different types of soil and what the outcome is of each. The seed is the same; the ground is what is different. The seed represents the truth. The ground represents those hearing the truth. In a later verse (Matthew 11:12) Jesus is quoted as saying "For whoever has, to him shall more be given..." I believe this speaks fundamentally to individual levels of awareness and openness. The more aware and open I am, the more aware and open I will...

This is an invitation rather than a challenge.

As a child, my father was stationed at Walker AFB, New Mexico (Roswell). And before you wonder, it was well after the UFO's landed so that was not the way I arrived on the planet (though others often doubt that)!  

I remember that my mother and her friends wore dresses or skirts most of the time. My mother had beautiful thick, dark red hair. I was five as I stood near her in our front yard as she chatted with a neighbor. The attention of the woman turned to me. I was an extremely shy and quiet child. My mother never shamed me for that; she simply accepted me. That day, I moved closer to her and stood almost behind her. She silently took the side of her full skirt and wrapped it around me, letting me hide in the folds of her dress. I felt safe.

Over time I learned to come out of my shell, to be social in spite of my innate shyness. I loved meeting people and going new places but it took effort to relax into those...

I grew up hearing the phrase "The eyes are the windows to the soul." When my granddaughter was nine months old, this phrase came alive again for me. When would meet someone she hadn't seen in a while or someone totally new to her, she would look deeply into their eyes for a very long time. She didn't blink. There was no challenge, no fear or confrontation. She was just looking. They asked us what she was doing, why does she just keep looking into my eyes. Her parents' response was, "She just does that." I responded differently, "She is learning you; reading your soul." She was my little Soul Reader.

I have a new friend in my life, one of those instant connections with a familiarity and ease that seems paradoxical to the circumstances. We had a conversation last night about cities we had either visited or lived in. It was exciting and fun to share memories of experiences not shared, places not visited together. It was so fun! My friend looks into my eyes when we talk; as I do his....