all the small things

The lesson of today: It’s a small, small world.

Whoever claimed that the world is huge and insurmountable needs to think again. 6 billion (approximately?) people live in this world and I go to a college that is a 16 hour drive from my Midwest abode, yet I somehow run into familiar faces. A lot.

So last night I went to see the Nutcracker (live ballet+live music=euphoria for Courtney). Anyways, I accompanied my cousin to Greensboro Coliseum to see her nine-year-old friend, Mary Catherine, dance the prestigious role of Clara. I was in the auditorium for, oh, thirty seconds, and I ran into my college buddy Lander—cousin of Mary Katharine. So Kendra is friends with Lander’s aunt who is mother of Mary Catherine who is the recipient of both our flowers and Landers’. I hope my poor grammar doesn’t confound that convoluted connection…

It’s probably not a big deal, but I thought it was pretty cool.

I also found out that night that Kendra goes to a church called “Christ Community” which is the name of my own beloved Carolina church. Coincidence? We thought so, at first, but it’s actually the daughter church of the Good Shepherd, which has close relations with my cousin’s church.

Oh, and my pastor is the cousin of my high school friend’s father.

My cousin’s church friend has a myriad of friends at my church. We exchanged names and numbers.

There’s always a link. Or two. Or three. Or seventy-four and three links twice-removed.

I pondered this for awhile, as I am not used to knowing friends of cousins of pastors and what-not. Why?

I figured it was because I am young. And I figured it was also because I am the youngest. I have always been the backseat sister hanging out with friends of my older sis: college seniors and grad-students. I never really felt the need to get to know someone on a personal, one-on-one basis. Like a peer. This is because

I was content to sit
in the backseat
(imprudent)
and
just
listen
to the hum of the front-seat conversation
(intelligent)

But now I want to engage. Participate. Contribute. Partake. Chip in. Take part. Join. Share. Jump on the bandwagon. Interject. Butt in. Pipe up. Add to the pot.

I want to see the connections. I want to actually make the connections. I like it when it truly is a small world after-all.