Remember The Pies!

Big Trees State Park-Arnold, CA

Some of the best things I find come through chance intersections. Several things happen at once that are related and it's as if someone is speaking to you directly, saying, "Hey! Pay attention will ya?!"

I recently visited the Crocker Museum in Sacramento. I love going there! It's wonderful to have a first class museum close by. But, going out in public, even to enjoy something that I love, can be a challenge. There are lots of distractions such as people on their cell phones, children running through hallways or people talking loudly about something other than the art in front of them. It's a work-around to be sure. 

For this visit, I steered clear of the crowded main exhibit hall and focused on the lesser visited and smaller exhibit and then the permanent collection. While viewing a very favorite Wayne Thiebaud  piece, I couldn't help but overhear a man speaking with his mom. She was in a wheelchair and he was pushing her around to see the various paintings. He stopped in front of the work next to me and started talking with her about it. He really appreciated the piece and eventually after adjusting my attitude (he was talking a little loudly-understandable since his mom was elderly and maybe hard of hearing) I was able to enjoy his conversation with his mom. The last thing I heard him say to her was to remember the cream pies. If she took nothing else from the day, remember the pies!

Being able to overhear these two people interact was kind of sweet. In looking for some meaning in it, I realized this morning what that meaning could be. And here is the kind of intersection that I wrote about above. I read this article before writing this post. The author discusses her own enjoyment in eavesdropping and what that could mean. She writes about our need to fix and help and to judge when we talk with others.  The thrust of her article is a little different but I like that she and I are thinking similar things. I just enjoyed the conversation I overheard and wondered if maybe that in and of itself was my gift. Bearing witness to two other people conversing. We do it everyday and think nothing of it. It made me glad to stop being annoyed long enough to enjoy their interaction. And thank goodness for that!

Libby