Getting More Than You Asked For

Did you ever feel at home with a group of strangers? Have you ever been in a group with people you never met before and find you share a deep commonality? It seems to me that there is a lot of that going around lately.

I recently spent a weekend in a group of thirty people at a conference in New York City to learn how to utilize the principles of restorative yoga (http://www.eastwestrehab.org/yogacourse_general_info.htm) within the confines of traditional Occupational and Physical Therapy. It is so exciting to learn new ways to make treatment better or more effective. It is absolutely exhilarating to join in the energy of the experienced instructors, Bill Gallagher PT, CMT, CYT (http://www.eastwestrehab.org/bill_bio.htm) and Richard Sabel MA, MPH, OTR, GCFP (http://www.eastwestrehab.org/Richard_bio.htm) And, of course this includes the other participants!

I felt right at home.

I am also taking a six-week course for adults with Attention Deficit Disorder, who want to feel less overwhelm. Upon introduction, it seems that everyone's story is quite similar; there is an underlying theme that could be interchanged with each person. As I read the story of one of the participants, I felt as if she had written my life story.

Again I feel at home.

What is it that draws certain people into our lives? This meeting of the minds may give us a strong connection and we can be changed in some way. That is, if we really notice the connection. We must first become aware of our feelings around the deep energy we experience or the passion we feel. Then we may be changed for good in some small way, having met a person or a group of people.

This can happen on a one to one basis. There is a member of a professional group I belong to. She will be taking over the volunteer position I held as librarian. We have been trying to meet in order for me to give her the library materials, but it never seems to work. We talk about our plans over the phone and we have discovered the amazing common interests we both share. These interests are creating a common bond between us. It now seems absolutely imperative that we get together in person and share our ideas and explore a friendship.

We never know what the start of a relationship will bring. I met my current boss at a professional training in 2003. We ran into each other a few times at a facility where we were both contractors in 2006. We kept in touch and we now work together! I would not have guessed at that time that this would be in my future, but it was. I am grateful and happy about it.

Do you ever find you experience that "right at home" feeling with new people? If so, how has the experience impacted your career in occupational therapy?

Warm Regards,

Lorraine