Occasionally there are moments that occur unexpectedly that convince me we are all connected in some inexplicable way. I had a meeting of the minds yesterday when I was once again in my doctor’s waiting room.
There was a monitor in the room flashing up images of hearts. They were quite well done – hearts made of flowers, stones grouped into the shape of a heart, raindrops forming hearts. Very artistic and quite lovely.
The images were part of a campaign promoting heart health entitled IN WHAT SHAPE IS YOUR HEART?
There was accompanying literature about ways to reduce your risk of heart disease as well as a questionnaire to fill out.
I was sitting in a row with five other women who were roughly all in their 30s and 40s. We all commented on the images and how well presented they were but here comes the interesting part. Before we read the literature we all interpreted the question In What Shape Is Your Heart? in a metaphorical way.
There were comments about broken hearts, bruised hearts, hearts on fire, weary hearts and hopeful hearts. We talked for a good twenty minutes about the ups and downs of relationships. All of our hearts had been bruised and battered in varying ways but we all agreed that the heart is incredibly resilient and cannot help but cling to hope.
It was a refreshing, uplifting meeting of the minds. In so many ways, we are all the same.
It gladdens my heart.
* Image by SER on DeviantART
Selma In The City 
It’s these lovely little breaks in our lives that keep us going and make it worth getting up every day. They are little gifts from the universe and I’m glad you got one today–you deserve it!
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Hi SAGACIOUS WOMAN:
You are so right. Sometimes I look for signs that all will be well and I found one yesterday. It is so lovely to hear from you!
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Oh I love magical moments like this… 🙂
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Hi NAT:
Oh, me too. They really make life worth living!
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Well, let’s see:
Heart of England,
Heart of Midlothian.
Can we have Hartlepool?
(Thinks of Buddy Holly’s ‘Heartbeat’ and Rita Pavone’s ‘Heart’)
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yes that sounds like one of those moments that’s all the more wonderful for being unexpected
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My heart and mind are better than they have been in awhile. What a great conversation you all must have had …oh, to be a fly on the wall.
Back to the heart/ I smoke and , as of late drink too much coffee. But I’ve made my peace. Besides, “No one here get’s out alive.”
If I dropped dead right now, I’d be one of those corpses that was found smiling 🙂
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Your moment gladdens my heart too Selma.
Glad you shared it.
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“All of our hearts had been bruised and battered in varying ways but we all agreed that the heart is incredibly resilient and cannot help but cling to hope.”
I love that. And how lovely to have such an awesome unexpected moment like that!
xoxoxo
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I wrote a long comment that got eaten- I think.
These connections are so important Selma- what a lovely story. I think the more we see the similarities instead of differences between us the more likely we are to behave properly toward each other.
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It’s always lovely to make a connection like this with total strangers, people we may never meet or see again.
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Hi TRAVELRAT:
I’ve always liked the heart of things or the heart of the matter!
Hi CRAFTY GREEN:
I crave those moments. They just make me feel so good!
Hi PUNATIK:
Well, I certainly hope you don’t drop dead any time soon but I am really glad you feel at peace with yourself. That is a wonderful place to be!
Hi JENNIFER:
Oh, my pleasure. These specials moments should definitely be talked about.
Hi MELEAH:
It was so amazing to see that everyone was still hopeful. Just so uplifting. I felt really good afterwards!
Hi LAURI:
That’s it in a nutshell. There would be much less conflict if we realised how alike we all are. The world would be a kinder place immediately.
Hi ROWE:
It’s special for that reason. It is highly unlikely I will ever see those ladies again but I will always remember them!
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Hi, Selma, do you remember back in the 80’s when one Australia’s big banks changed its corporate logo from an elephant to its current logo which looks like a yellow posted note on a slant with the a blackened right hand corner. I worked with a woman who was part of that logo change. She told me that the bank about a year or so of market research-asking people about designs and colours etc. I mention this because I think it was no accident that you and the five other women interpreted “IN WHAT SHAPE IS YOUR HEART”? metaphorically. The way the question is phrased and the artistic images of hearts lends itself to such an interpretation. Was there anything in the accompanying literature about ways to reduce your risk of heart disease to suggest that there is a link between metaphorical and physical hearts.
I mean broken hearts, bruised hearts ,weary hearts are quite stressful. And stress is bad for the physical heart, as stress-related activities such as over-eating, lack of sleep, alcohol, cigarette smoking and other substance abuse. Whereas as studies on things such as positive thinking and prayer would suggest that having a heart on fire, (with passion for life) or a hopeful heart would probably lessen your chance of getting physical heart trouble and increase your chances of recovery if you did.
Great post, DavidM
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much like punatik, i can’t stop with the coffee but am down to 3 cigs a day now, so getting better all the time!
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My heart is forever getting broken but always optimistic.
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Hi DAVID:
I hadn’t thought of it like that but you are absolutely right. I didn’t take any of the literature home with me but I will check the next time I’m there. I really believe the whole ‘mind, body, spirit’ thing is very important and we must align the three for overall health. Maybe orthodox medicine is finally starting to embrace that line of thinking. How brilliant is that? Thanks for the insight into the Comm Bank logo. I always find those types of things very interesting!
Hi JASON:
Three ciggies a day is very impressive. I can’t stop with the coffee either. I tried chai and green tea but it’s just not the same. Keep up the good work with the smoking!
Hi ROSHAN:
It’s important to stay optimistic because if you lose that you’ve given up. One day it will happen for you. I just know it!
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Yes, I always think of the feeling type heart when I see the symbol or the word rather than the physical heart and cholestrol and things.
The heart does have an amazing capacity to repair. I often marvel at it myself.
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Hi RELUCS:
Oh, it definitely does. You would think that once a heart had been broken that would be it, but it comes back for more again and again. I often marvel at the strength of it.
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I have always found it fascinating how the heart (a beating organ) has just symbolism for humans. Why is it? Is it because it’s the thing we hear as babies in the womb, because when it stops beating we are dead, because when we are physically close to someone we can hear the life force in them. Lovely observational post Selma.
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Hi GABRIELLE:
I agree completely. And in some ways it plays such a significant role in the creative arts, particularly in music. How many songs have been written about hearts and love and all that? There would be hundreds if not thousands. The heart is endlessly fascinating, I think.
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