Peaceful people and places (Written 14/04/10)

I love coming home at the end of a work day, in fact at the end of any day. I've been living here for 13 years, and it's one of my peaceful places. I appreciate this more than anyone could know.

Right now, I give thanks for a few people in my life, people in whose presence I feel an overwhelming sense of calm and peace. No matter what I've been through, how difficult my day or week has been, the energy from these people is affirming, non-judgemental, accepting. They have that special ability to make you forget about anything unpleasant, and see the wow of the moment, as well as the endless possibilities in every moment to come.

I haven't always been surrounded by peaceful people, and I can't say I am now. They're rare, like those perfect seashells you find on the beach, the ones without chips, cracks or broken bits. You pick one up and feel incredibly special because you're holding it between your fingers, and you inspect it, from different angles, not wanting to find any flaws, and grin broadly with satisfaction when you don't.

The energy I get from other people stresses me, sometimes. I find people who are semi or fully manic, frenzied, 'hyper' very tiring. After being in their company, I feel like I need a week's holiday, they disturb my flow so much!

I need to learn to feel the strength I do inside and be sensitive to others, but not allow myself to be so affected by what's external to me. I suppose it's part of being a person who does connect, because it's in our nature as social beings to do just that. We connect automatically, responding to what resonates with us and rejecting what doesn't. This applies to everything, not just people's spoken words. People affect each other's energy.

I work in an environment which is a curious blend of bustling and relaxed. The apparent seamlessness of things is in large attributable to the positive energy of the staff. They're people with a no-nonsense, problem-solving, solution-seeking attitude, which is exactly what our type of company needs. More than that, it's a place filled with people from all over the world, and one has to tune into and out of different accents, rhythms of language, not to mention cultural and national norms and expectations, assumptions. On any given day, you could have conversations with people from Angola, Brazil, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Colombia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and so many others. It's actually an amazing plce to be.