That sounds crazy, doesn't it? But it really happened. I was sitting at my desk at work in Seattle and had just been notified a few days earlier that I was being transferred to a job out of state. I was very disappointed because I had fallen in love with the Pacific Northwest.
So there I was at work, minding my own business when a stranger stopped by and introduced himself. He was a vendor waiting to visit a colleague of mine who was on the telephone. The stranger was a gifted people-person and he cordially made polite small talk while he waited for my colleague to become available. But that small talk quickly led to a profound piece of advice that I still remember to this day.
Since we had never met before, he asked how long I had worked there and I told him about my upcoming transfer out of state. He quizzed me on how I felt about the move and I shared with him how much I loved the Seattle area. At that point, he said...(dramatic, soap opera pause of expectation)
"There are three things we must figure out in order to live our best lives.
One: Where we want to live.
Two: What we want to do for a living.
Three: Who we want to be with.
When you've figured out those three things, you'll be happy."
And honestly, at that moment he bid a polite farewell and left. I was left speechless. It was as if he reached into my soul and knew exactly what to say to me. It really IS that beautifully simple. Three little things. Amazing. I loved having it all boiled down to three little things. He struck a chord. And I was charmed by the ethereal quality of the experience. I was visited by a simplicity angel! Lucky me.
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