Music inspiring understanding

Music gets to my soul and to my heart, and it helps me connect to the world.   Tunes of African drums, Salsa tunes, Arabic chants, Gospel songs and even some violin classics caressed my ears while navigating around the very colorful and vibrant streets of Accra, Ghana.  

Taxis, markets, restaurants and almost everywhere had an upbeat atmosphere that made me feel like dancing all the time. The Ghanians have a contagious smile and rhythm that makes daily routines, joyful and possible when it is thought to be impossible. Play music with rocks, really? Indeed, it is fun. When culture barriers are an issue and when I was lost in the city, the friendliness and empathic attitude of the people around, made positive lasting memories about Ghana.  Does music make the time go faster, things work more efficiently and helps us connect? I wonder. Definitely, music and dancing like nobody is watching, feels amazing. Shall we play music and shall we dance to inspire understanding? Have a vibrant day today!

Diplomats of the Everyday

What a pretty work of Art!  Where is it? It is a graffiti wall by Eduardo Kobra at Ibirapuera Park, Sao Paulo, Brazil. My feeling while staring at this smile in the picture, on my first walk out of my hotel: GO and explore!  Are my perceptions made by knowledge I do and don't have? I wonder. Is my inspiration to travel to a place, pick from a menu, choose a book to read, select a shop to purchase an outfit, pick a color for the walls of my house come from some form of marketing?  I receive marketing based on uninterested love with trust. How about you? Recently, a dear friend invited me to visit her homeland, first thought! Wow!!! Isn't your country surrounded by areas under political instability, therefore, not a safe place? She answered: "My hometown is peaceful and kind people live in it! I would never invite you if it was not good for you." And she embraced me with her big cheerful smile.  A comment from an exchange student: "Mrs. Yamamoto the people in the USA are so beautiful and kind! It is not like in the news and the movies!" Are we the Diplomats of the Everyday and offer uninterested wonderful experiences?  I wonder.  Blueberry picking, concert at the parks, walking the trails, local coffee shops, farmers markets anything pleasant of our everyday makes our hometowns and its people fabulous and different from what we hear in the news.  Indeed, I am going to visit my friend's hometown and I think Sao Paulo is a wonderful Artsy City!  How about you? Has someone inspired you lately? Please share it with me.  Have a great day.  

Everyday familiar faces

Who do you spend most of your day with? With whom you had a meaningful conversation today?
What percentage of the your day you talk to people that are part of your everyday life that are not necessarily any of your dear friends or family members?  Don't you wonder?  A colleague next to me in the elevator,  my yoga classmate, my hairdresser, the attendant at the dry cleaner, the bagger at the supermarket, my salsa lesson instructor or the Barista at my favorite coffee. All of them give me often times a friendly smile, a quick chat, and even a hug. As we see each other often, we engage in more details of our mundane topics.  Five minutes at the time, as often as every day, once a week or once a month.  By making the effort to thank them by their names (name tags help!) I often get a big smile in return.  Do we make the world more human if we consider these unfamiliar faces a bit more familiar?  I wonder when I take a sincere interest to all wonderful people who are part of my everyday life, would it make me more mindful and empathetic? And perhaps lead to caring friendships?
The challenge became more intense when I resided in a place where I did not master the native language.  This task was based more on gestures and actions.  At the same time the sense of loneliness was more acute. Did this make me more emphatic?  Absolutely!
The risk of rejection is high as now society is more suspicious and vigilant of unrequested friendliness.
Would we be able to make a better ambience around us by trying to notice our unfamiliar familiar faces and reach out? Shall we try? Tell me what you think and what is your experience.
Have an amazing evening!