Chrisonomicon

Wednesday, June 20, 2001

Whether by nature or sheer force of habit, I am a private individual ? a loner. I don't enjoy getting lost in large masses of people (thus my abhorration to malls, clubs, and Krispy Kreme), and would much rather spend time at home by myself or with a small group of friends.

The other day, however, I found myself navigating a volitile path through seas of people at a local bazaar when I was suddenly overcome by an engulfing sense of wonder and awe. It caught me off-guard, so much so, that I stopped in my tracks.

A realization soon came to me. I understood that the feeling welling up in my chest was a profound sense of love ? love for everyone and everything around me. I looked around in amazement at people walking by, people doing things, people going places, and interacting.

I stopped to just observe a scene that would normally be considered everyday banality. I watched people. They were consumed by their lives, by their activities, and I basked in the productivity and collaboration that was taking place here and everyday.

It was a feeling that was so satisfying and fulfilling, just to see humanity at an operational level. I wondered how I had overlooked this so many times before, and whether I would be able to recapture this overwhelming, wonderful feeling again.

I smiled to myself and took off through the crowd that swallowed me whole.