After ordering my drink at a local coffee shop, I started to scan the patrons to find where my co-workers were sitting. Immediately, I was drawn to the lady in the corner, who appeared to be out of a scene from a movie, highlighting an angelic presence. All natural light beamed upon her and her bright yellow accents seemed to exaggerate her glow even more.Adorably spunky, I had to take her picture. My only hesitation was to sneak the shot or ask her permission, as a bad experience in Spain came to mind. In that case, I saw an older woman, possibly homeless, with unique character sitting in front of a grand church which, at the time, seemed like a prized capture. Wanting to get in close and take my time, I asked permission by motioning with my camera while simultaneously handing her a Euro or two which she accepted. Getting the camera in position, the vieja started yelling angrily and pulled her arms up to shield her face which drew the attention of the nearby la policia. Needless to say, I didn't the get the shot and kicked myself for not just stealing it in the first place.
Taking the chance, I approached the woman in the corner of the coffee shop. "Excuse me, I think you are just gorgeous, and I would love to take your picture." She smiled approvingly and continued to look down at her laptop. Camera phone in hand, I took the shot then mouthed a "thank you", smiling back at her. With her index finger, she motioned for me to come over. I bent down eager to hear what she had to share. With such energy, "What's your name? I'm Nona Lee. You know, I started a blog awhile back but forgot about it and would like to bring it back to life. The name of it is...oh gosh, I forgot....oh yeah, VitalityMentality.com. My email address is..." I realized she wanted me to send her a copy of the photo so she could possibly add to her blog. I was honored. This lady had such warm, positive energy, I felt so drawn to her. I wanted to be able to later visit her and learn of her experiences.
When I returned home, I forwarded the photos to her. I never hear back. Either way, this woman greatly impacted me. Life is so full of meaningless noise, action and interaction. Every once in awhile, you come across people who add an emotional response, a feeling, a flavor. Connections are powerful.
