Encounters

It's January 7, 2023 and last evening a most intriguing encounter took place at a hip scene in Los Angeles, Art District.  It had been a long day, bouncing between two places in downtown for work and meetings.  The encounters were meaningful in our local community and as it turns out - meaningful in connecting the myriad lives we touch without even knowing the details.  Past, future, present all came together.  (That is the subject of another writing.).

At the end of the day, after being told it would be a two-hour wait to get food, there was a decision to wait.  Normally, this two-hour wait notice would mean a quick good-bye; but on this night, a different choice was made.  To wait and perhaps not sit at a table, and maybe sit at a bar that would serve food.  "Is it okay for us to order food at the bar?"

The reply, "Of course, just hoover around and if it looks like someone is leaving, you can jump into their seats.  Some are going to be seated soon."

It didn't appear that anyone was leaving soon.  Normally, this would mean good-bye;  but on this night, a different choice was made.  Hovering was an interesting experience in that it was like getting a preview of the food that could be yours in the near future;  it gave an impression of the collective vibe;  it meant catching snippits of encounters that were taking place among strangers.

No seats at the bar opened for about 20 minutes.  Normally, this would mean irritation, impatience with the seemingly lack of consideration by others of two (older and not-so-hip) people clearly looking for a spot to land.  But on this night, no irritation, no impatience or frustration arose. Just a feeling of lightness and curiosity about the space, the energy, and the food that might taste as good as it looked on the plates of others.  Hoping for the eventual encounter with that food was held with unusual equanimity.

Then finally, a smile and a notice of two people looking for a seat - "Would you like to take this seat?" (there was only 1 empty seat next to him).  

The hopeful and grateful reply, "Yes, but are you waiting for someone?  We can wait if you are..."

"Oh no, no - please take this seat...and I LOVE the caps you guys are wearing - they look so happy like the holiday season hasn't ended!", as he got up and offered his seat, there were now two seats open! He continued, "...we were just having a conversation and getting to know each other... I'm Ricardo."

"Hello, and we are...", introducing ourselves and learning that Ricardo is a local artist and the woman he was in conversation with is a local business woman, Latina, Sunday school teacher, and supporter of an orphanage in Tijuana."  All this in about two minutes.  And of course, the conversation went on and the sharing of artwork and experiences grew, and yes - food was eventually brought and even that was shared among the four of us.  We will see each other again, perhaps at the same place, perhaps at the working space of the artist, perhaps at another spot in the Art District.

Afterward, the feeling was of great satisfaction - both with the meal and the encounter.  

It happens that way in a place like Los Angeles where the chances of encounters that match your own mood happen and the realization is that your vibration truly does have an effect on the world you encounter.  

The memory of a trip, long past, arose - sharing with a Zen teacher the very enjoyable journey to the temple on a particular visit, the response was, "It wasn't the other people who happened to be in such a good mood;  it was you.  Your vibration affects everything around you - including other people."

The encounter last night was yet another reminder of this.  It didn't matter that the day was long, that several meetings and other work encounters had taken place - so many that no food was eaten all day.  It didn't matter that finding a parking spot required payment, a constant source of annoyance when street parking is nowhere to be found.  It didn't matter that space inside the place was at once full but not entirely so, yet seating at a table was not to be had.  

For whatever reason - the mood was light, the usual prickliness in such circumstances was absent, and the ability to take it all in was very present.  Then, an encounter that may be the beginning of a new friendship happened.  And the memory of the exchange came back, "Your vibration affects everything around you - including other people."