The greatest pain in life is to be invisible

"The greatest pain in life

is to be invisible."

Oprah Winfrey

I'm always amazed when I spend time in smaller towns, how people still smile at one another and not only say "hello" but actually talk to strangers.

Recently while giving a Management Training Seminar in Winnipeg Manitoba, I decided to take a bus downtown rather than a taxicab. As I stood by the bus stop, taking in the western fresh air, someone beside me started talking about the coming winter. It took me a few seconds to realize that the Canadian Native woman was speaking to me so gently, as if we had known each other perhaps in another life. We had a wonderful chat.

The bus arrived and the wackiest thing happened. The door swung open really wide, and the smiling bus driver said in a loud punctuated voice "Good morning!" and as I walked down the aisle of a fairly loaded bus, every passenger that I passed said "Hi" "Good morning" How ya doing?" " Hello". As you can imagine, the passenger that I sat beside, talked to me all the way until I had to get off. He gave me a wave as the bus pulled away. I stared at the bus; I'm a Torontonian, and was totally blown away by the experience. Much of the suffering within our lives comes from being invisible.

In the speed with which we race through our time on this earth we forget so many important lessons. It is in the not being heard, appreciated, honoured, respected, valued, touched, and loved that we become ill, weakening our minds and our bodies. Acknowledgement, appreciation, validation, respect, loving, listening, communicating and expressing feelings are some of the gifts, that we need to share with humankind.

Let's not let anyone feel invisible:

not in our home, not in our workplace

and not on our planet.

Aldonna Kaulius-Barry