Crossing That First Line

     There is a line drawn in the sand we use to separate ourselves from the strangers of the world. We call it civil inattention, and at it’s best it is an effort to maintain our distance and still allow them enough space to pass by on a crowded sidewalk. Eyes forward, we look right through them in search of some distance object we have set as our goal. We try our best to extend them a modicum of trust, offered as a token for peaceful coexistence, hoping they mean us no harm. To a lucky few, we make eye contact and offer them a smile. It is an invitation for them to cross that first line, to share the world we live in with them, for one brief moment in time.

                                                                                           J.