The Foreign Family in a Colorado Coffee Shop

I’m sitting in a cool little coffee shop in the historic downtown district of Georgetown, CO. I’ve seen a lot of people today, but the one that stand out to me most is the family from France that I am currently sitting close to in this little coffee shop. (photo above)

The husband is sitting in a chair scrolling through his iPad. Teenage daughter #1 is sitting near him in chair playing a game on her phone. Teenage daughter #2 is sitting near the mother reading on her phone. Teenage daughter #3 is doing something on her computer while the mother sits in the window scrolling on her phone.

Watching this family reminded me of the one thing that people of all nations find common ground in: the device. What was once a luxury item is now a world-wide necessity. Seriously, what would I do without mine? My phone/laptop/iPad is how I connect with my family and friends, get my work done, create this blog post. I take photos with my phone, check email, post to social media, and communicate with friends who live on the other side of the world. I’m not sure what I would do if I knew that I created something that would change the face of communication around the world. What a legacy to leave. Is it just me, or do we all desire to leave such a mark upon the world?

Could we be leaving that mark upon the world now?

We may not create a device that changes the face of the earth, but many of us have created small adorable humans that, we hope, will live far beyond our years. Some of us pour ourselves into others, some write songs, some write books, some write letters to loved ones. Most of us never really think about what we are doing, much less how it is rippling throughout our world and into another. How great could that ripple be if we just gave it a meaningful intention? I think back to things my grandma has taught me. Where are the ones who taught her? They are long gone, yet all those things they gave her continue to move through me and those around me.

In the words of one of my favorite authors, Seth Godin: "Do your art.”

Parent, make music, lead your tribe, mentor, throw pottery, comfort the hurting, volunteer, show compassion, whatever your art is, let it loose and let it ripple. You may never see the full effect of what has been done, but it's moving through the lives of people you've never met, places you've never heard of and affecting things that you could never imagine.

Be a light.

Be creative.

Be mindful.

Remember the ripple and make yours a good one. You are living out a legacy that will far outlast any device we rely on today.

Shauna

(inspired by the foreign family in the cool little coffee shop in Georgetown, CO)