Be a bridge

The other morning, I was making small talk with the two women who clean our house. They are hardworking ladies trying to launch a business in hopes of gaining financial freedom. I couldn't help but think about our interaction the rest of the afternoon. How is it that I sometimes feel a shared life with them, more so than with my own neighbors?

It's a strange feeling to grow up fighting to make something of your life when the odds are stacked against you, and then to be on the other side. Does your new life ever really feel like "home"? I no longer belong in my old life, but sometimes I feel like a fish out of water in this one. Don't get me wrong, I love this life and I'm so proud of my family. I wouldn't want things any other way. But I am learning to live without the nagging feeling that I must be in a constant state of stress, and instead find peace and contentment in this wonderful, yet imperfect fit. I've often read such transitions can be insolating and lonely, but I don't see it that way.

What some might see as loneliness or the sense of not belonging is actually a bridge. In my case, it's a bridge between struggle and prosperity. But it becomes a bridge between people; two groups that are never meant to understand what it's like to be in the other's shoes. It's the ultimate way to understand both worlds and have deep empathy for their inherent issues simultaneously.

There are so many opportunities in life to be a bridge.

Maybe you suffered a period of infertility before having a baby and can empathize with the feelings of uncertainty and desperation that come with longing to be a mother, but also the hardships of motherhood? Maybe you were living your best life for years but suffered a loss and are now finding your footing in this new, changed life? Maybe you worked tirelessly as an employee for years and now you're the boss?

Your experiences are as unique are you; and only you have the power to bring them, and people, together. And there is nothing more rewarding than bridging the gap between people and having meaningful human connection. So let's go out into the world and build our bridge.