Staying connected

I find it easy to feel disconnected from the world. It's not that I don't like living; I do. Very much. I don't ever want to die, because I know tomorrow will always bring some new person or book or meal or song or movie that will delight me, make me think, bring me to tears, stir me. Despite all that, I often feel as if I'm floating a bit away from humanity, not quite sure how to belong, where to be, what to be.

To my great surprise, many of the events at Sarah's and Scott's school have proven to help me connect to the world, if only for the duration of the event. I sit in the audience, one among many parents, and our common dreams and wishes unite us. That's my kid! I hope she/he isn't too nervous! Doesn't he/she look great! And on and on.

I also feel connected to the kids on the stage or the field or the playground. Tonight, we watched the final upper school concert of the year. It was thus the last concert for several of the senior kids, including one of Sarah's best friends. I was sad to see them go, happy to get to hear them play, and moved by the many years I've been watching them. I remembered my high school self and his dreams; I still burn with most of them.

It was a special night for me. It was a special night for many of the kids. It was a special night for all the parents there. It was also just another of thousands and thousands like it that happen regularly all over the world. It was a common human thing, and I was part of it, another common human. I like that.