names

"Hello Jennifer," the girl at my daily coffee stop said to me.  I was taken back.  I see her every day and not once had we exchanged names.  It felt nice to hear her say Jennifer.  She wears a name tag that I never looked at, until that moment.  

Our name is such a part of who we are and is not spoken that often.  When it is, it sounds really nice to hear.  Speaking someones name brings an immediate sense of connection and intimacy between you.  It feels personal and kind.  

I am terrible with remembering names.  They go in one ear and out the other.  But on that morning when Ingrid said "Hello Jennifer,"  I knew I had to change that.  As I navigate through my daily life I am learning the names of those I interact with that I never took the time to ask, like Ingrid who serves me my daily Chai Tea with the biggest smile on her face.  

Each of these people are a part of the path that I travel every day.  They are interwoven throughout my life and make my world a better place.  Knowing there name is something I must do.