Jaclyn Beckerman Coaching

I was in the elevator yesterday on my way back upstairs from lunch break while serving jury duty.  I had a long ride up so I decided to check out the situation, warmly observing the people around me.

Have you ever noticed how people act when they’re in a crowded elevator?  They couldn’t possibly look more like a bunch of shifty characters.  Eyes averted, bodies turned away from one another, trying their best to avoid any possibility of human interaction, biding their time until they can escape the torture.

Not a single person out of at least 8-10 made eye contact with me.

How funny is this? Or perhaps it’s sad.

Are we really that disconnected from one another that 30 seconds of conversation, eye contact or even simply an acknowledgment of each others existence is that painful?  And of course God forbid it be while trapped in a small enclosed space.

What are we really avoiding everyone for?  What if your soul mate was nestled within one of those dozens of people you avoid interacting with on a daily basis?  Or your new best friend?  Or your next significant mentor, client, or boss?

To be transparent, plenty of the time I’m just as guilty as everyone else of not taking advantage of the opportunity to get related to others. I’m just reflecting on it and realize that chances are, I’m missing out on some amazing opportunities to let people make a difference in my life.  I believe even the smallest interaction can make an impact and I can think of plenty of folks I only had one interaction with that taught me something new which made a lasting and sometimes life altering impression. If we are evolved enough to see the importance of self actualization, learning, and growth, we can pretty safely say that the true test of living from love and our highest self resides within the way we relate to others.

Yet then we avoid others at all costs.

Talk about squandering opportunities.