IMPRESSIONISTS

Over the years the explosion of electronic communication devices has made the world a little smaller and my circle of acquaintances much larger. In addition my family, I am connected to friends, coworkers, colleagues, music people, church people, library people, HamsterTime people, blogging people, spinning people, spamming people (who could go away, thank you very much), bunny people and sewing people. Each group represents a separate segment in my caterpillaresque life. If Big Brother is on TV, I know the HamsterTime people will be in full gear. If I need information, help or advice on Fabio the Fahbulous, I can turn to the bunny people who will have lots of advice. Library people talk library things, church people talk church things, music people talk music things. It's a very orderly "a place for everything and everything in its place" kind of existence.



But within this four-square life are people who have left lasting impressions. Through them, the extraordinary not only exists, it shines brightly. The light can be a little bothersome at first until your eyes get used to the glow. But eventually, the extraordinary becomes a revitalizing element of change. Now there are new ways to think. New people to know. New possibilities I never imagined...



I never imagined.



I've come to realize that the extraordinary surrounds me every day, and I am the one who does not or cannot recognize its presence. I smother it, ignore it or strip it down until I can compartmentalize it into an easily definable, single faceted role in my life.



College students? Yes, you stand over there. Politicians? Over there please. Mass emailers and telemarketers? Yes. Right over there. No, keep going. Keep going. Yes, you're almost there. At that cliff there. Yes. Now a little to the left......



But there are those in my life who are impressionists. They have managed to waken me from the slumber of my day-to-day existence, and it is through their life that I see extraordinary lived in a way which moves me greatly. It inspires me to leave my sheltered, ordinary, catapillared life and grow and change into something better. Something extraordinary.



Often times I don't recognize these impressionists. Perhaps it is because I'm too busy. Perhaps I am not self-aware. Perhaps the change is so slow and gradual, that it takes years before I look at myself and realize I'm no longer the same. When I finally shed my old skin and recognize the extraordinary that was present, I am so grateful for the gift and the lasting impressions it has made on my life. The extraordinary enables me to change. It encourages me to fly.



To my friend, SticksTuna, on her special day, I say thank you for the extraordinary of your life.

You are a true impressionist.

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