Connections

"Are you 1404's daughter?"

"Are you 1404's daughter?

After the second time, I looked around to see who was saying this and to whom she was saying it to.

Then I realized she was talking to me.

I was in the elevator of my mom's apartment building.  I've been called many things in my life, but this was a first. 

When I said, "Oh yes, I am her daughter," the woman said to me, "Your mom is so nice. She always smiles at me."  This made me smile inside (and maybe outside) all day long.

For the 10 years my mom's been there, I've often been asked,  "Are you Florence's daughter?" and each time I get a flashback of all the times I've been called something...the Councilman's daughter, so-and-so's sister/sister-in-law (take your pick), so-and-so's wife (again, take your pick) and so-and-so's mom (take your pick once more and don't forget Shea Doggy),  etc. etc.

In my younger years I used to wonder why can't I just be ME? Why are people always intent on making a connection?    

These days, I see connections as gifts that fall from the sky. They often bring to mind important relationships, provide opportunities to hear stories about people I care about, or inspire flashbacks that take me to places I haven't visited in a long time.         

One of the more emotional connections occurred recently at the Promenade shops in Marlton, where I was signing a receipt - as Judy MINCHES.  The saleswoman asked me if I have a son.  I wasn't sure what to say.  Yes, I have a son named Mike, whose last name is Heiman, but she saw me write Minches, so that's what she was referring to.  And yes, I have a stepson, Matthew Minches...I was a bit uneasy as to where this was headed, yet I knew the exchange would be touching and memorable.  She proceeded to tell me a heartwarming story about Matthew, when he was her son's camp counselor the summer he got sick.  

Even though tears streamed down my face without warning - so startling to her that she switched gears immediately and started talking about how much she liked my eyeglasses - I felt truly lucky that I happened to stop into a store I rarely go to on that particular day.              

It's amazing how just a few words from someone we don't know about someone we do know can give us knowledge we may not have and take us to places we might not otherwise go.