I belong here in this place. I've had chances to leave Saskatchewan, but I've always made the choice to stay here. I've loved it all of my life and am constantly surprised by natural beauty and the people all around me.
There have been times when I found myself someplace new and didn't know many people and times I've found myself surrounded by familiar faces. I'm in a bit of a transition right now.
I've moved into a new community close to an old community where it seems many of the people I knew at one time have moved on. I am a member of a few artistic communities reaching across the province, but even in those organizations I don't know everyone by name. I have difficulty remembering names, but I have a decent memory for faces.
This past weekend I attended a conference with a new group of people, but there were some familiar faces overlapping from other groups. Seeing a face out of context can be difficult, but after a few moments and a little bit of polite conversation I was able to figure out why people were familiar and make a few stronger connections.
One of the people I talked to was the parent of someone I knew in Maidstone, another was a young woman in the writing community whom I was certain I had spotted on a subway in Montreal this summer. Although the conversation began a little awkwardly it reassured me my memory does work for some things.
I also spotted a young woman with children who looked very much like the sister of my best friend in university. I haven't talked to the friend in many years though think of her often. She recognized me quickly, got my name correct and took my card to pass on to her sister.
There were a few more examples and as I moved out of my emotional comfort zone and past my shyness, I felt as if I were conducting an experiment in human connectedness. The experiment was a success. Even if all I gained was a few smiles and shared memories, it was worth it, but I believe it will go farther.
I will probably have the confidence to continue to talk to people I may have been too nervous to approach in the past and maybe I'll even reconnect or connect with some people in a more meaningful manner.
I've heard many jokes about everyone in Saskatchewan knowing everyone else and although it isn't true I do believe this is a place where it is possible to connect and reconnect over and over again.
