Unbelievably Close

Two of my friends who had worked together for years recently discovered how very connected our worlds are.  He mentioned his ex-brother-in-law by name in a derogatory context.  As she asked him to repeat the name, she revealed that this man was her first husband, and agreed with his assessment.  This unbelievable coincidence blew me away and vividly illustrated that we never know how close we are to making desired connections or unintentionally sharing a harmful assessment. 

Sometimes It's an Alley that Connects

Yesterday, I had the privilege to kick-off our 11th year of Sterling Bank Women's Business Initiative luncheons by hosting our first quarter luncheon in Dallas.  (I'll share highlights from our super presenter soon.)  It's always invigorating to see the connections that are made during these educational/networking luncheon forums.  And the event provided another example of just how connected we are.  One of our loyal attendees was seated with a first-time guest.  They discovered during the lunchtime networking that they were neighbors unmet, connected by the alley in their neighborhood and the Sterling Bank Women's Business Initiative.  They've already made lunch plans! Amazingly, as I was visiting with these two exiting guests and a long-time friend who has relocated to Dallas, we discovered that this friend also lives in their neighborhood.

And it was music to my ears as I watched recipricol business relationships develop at my luncheon table.

Whether it's an alley, childhood friend, child, former colleague, classmate, family member or new connection, when we are open to relationships, we realize that everything is connected.

Your Pen, My Pen, What Then?

Yesterday, a colleague brought me the business card of someone to call. As she was delivering the card, she looked quizzically at the pen I was using.  When she asked about it, we noticed that we both were carrying a clever, novel pen from the organization of the person she was asking me to contact.

I'm continually amazed at how very connected we are, and often in the most unexpected ways.

2 in 24 Million

The reality that everything's connected continues.  I was a guest at a luncheon yesterday, assigned a seat by my host, next to someone I'd not previously met.  In the course of conversation, we determined that he and my husband both attended the same prestigious prep school in New Hampshire - Phillips Exeter Academy.  And, as he relayed to my seatmate how he'd met his wife, we discovered that my seatmate and I both knew the two families he mentioned in San Antonio.  There are nearly 24 million Texans, with 6 million in Houston and 2 million in San Antonio.  Two hundred miles separate these major metropolitan areas.  It amazes me with these odds that 2 attendees in 800 would have a strong connection to a northeast school 1900 miles from Houston and know the same 2 families among 2 million residents 200 miles away.