I've always wanted to be cool. You know? Some people are just cool... they have this allure about them, this presence. And it's not just about their hair and clothes, but actually about how they carry themselves. The way they say things, and the things they say. I've always wished I was like that. But I'm not. I'm tall and skinny and clumsy and I dress in plain clothes and I'm never the person who stands out in a room full of people. My voice is low and if I need to be the center of attention, I shy away like a deer. To be fair, I've always thought I was very plain and forgettable.
Until the other day when I went to a friend's party in Houston and because the world is an oyster, I ran into a guy who's brother was in my class in elementary school in Rio. I know, first of all, what are the odds, right? Second, he walked into the room, saw me, and before I said anything, he looked at me and said: "Joana, good to see you". I was in shock, is this person, who I haven't seen in probably 30 years recognizing me on the spot??? How can this be?
Long story short, we chatted a little bit. I introduced him to my husband and that was it for the night but this encounter had me thinking long after the party had ended. What if I was telling myself all these things all these years? What if, in fact, some people (clearly) remembered me and I made an impression that lasted much longer than I thought I did? Everything I say and do impact other people in a way. Good or bad. What I say matters and will be heard, even if only one person at a time. I've always had two big problems with social media: 1- they want to trap you in and keep you there until you spend every waking hour being a good consumer. And 2- I used to not like to see myself on camera. I used to not like to hear my own voice. I used to be embarrassed about putting myself out there. What would people think? What would they say? How can I live after people find out I'm not one of those super cool people that I so wished I was. But none of that matter (except that social media DOES want to trap you in but that's another post) what matters is the connections you make, the people that do hear what you have to say, and the ability to maybe help someone who needed. My most successful posts were the ones when I got a reply saying: "thank you, I really needed to hear that". If I can get 1 person today feeling better about themselves, learn something helpful, or just laugh at a joke, I'm happy. Because it's not about who I am and how many followers I have, it's about making meaningful connections. It's that one person that left your presence feeling a little better than they were before. Thank you for your time! Namaste
Comments