I offer this acknowledgment of you. I see you at the edge of those watching us carve. I catch your eye, I acknowledge you. I gesture you to step closer. You do, just a bit. The closer group chats with my colleague. I get a question. I show my carvings. I turn them toward you as well.
Something about you touches the mother in me. You look a bit younger than my daughters. There’s something familiar in your hesitancy. Shyness, or something else. I know those feelings.
When they move to the next artists, I look to you and you step closer.
“Are you interested in wood carving?” I tip my head to reach for my newest carving. I lift it up and show it to you.
A tentative confusion, I hold it out for you to see better. I see your shoulders ease. What am I missing? Where have I seen that before. Ah, I look for hearing aids, but I can’t tell. They rarely show anymore.
I keep my head up, look directly towards you. Make sure you can see my face, read my lips, if that helps. I introduce myself, talk about how I am new to carving. Ask again if you are interested. You nod. ‘This is my break, I do woodworking, I demo soon.’
‘That’s the booth I want to see when I take a break! Maybe I will catch part of your demo.’
‘I’m Chris.’
‘What do you make, Chris?’
Chris sits beside me, pulls out her phone and shows me beautiful lathe pieces. I get to see beautiful woodworking art and hear about lathe work.
Chris leaves and a while later I take my break and wander to the woodworking area. Chris has already started her demo. I take a seat.
Two small pieces of wood. I watch for as long as I can and see the two small shapes become a two-tone needle case. A small artwork of beauty.
Later Chris comes to show me the finished piece. We chat, I thank her for showing me and I hand it back.
At the end of the day, Chris catches me leaving. She hands me the needle case. “For you.”
“It’s beautiful. Are you sure?”. Chris nods.
“Thank you, it’s wonderful.”
I hoped to check out the woodworking club. Chris mentioned where their club was. But, I moved again, a short time later.
I wonder if Chris knows that I treasure this needle case. It’s unlikely that we will cross paths again. In the moment, when I wanted the right words, my thank you seemed so feeble. I slip back to being a girl at the edge, hesitant to step forward.
I think of the people who welcomed me, when I was the hesitant one. I enjoyed talking to you Chris. I am honored that you approached. I acknowledge you, because I know that you will pass it on. You already have. Not in the present, but in the presence. Perhaps, you saw me first.
Naked Soul Thoughts 