An invisible thread
The unseen ties that keep us together.
I recently experienced a sliding doors moment.
I went out for a walk the other day and I decided to change direction as the path I was taking was getting continually muddier. As I turned and began to walk in a different direction I came across someone I knew from an old workplace. I had not seen them since the beginning of the year as they had gone to pursue a new adventure in a different country.
It was a super surreal experience seeing them ( we both stopped in our tracks) as I thought I would never see them again. We had a quick conversation which ended with an invitation to catch up at a later date. It seemed so against the odds that we would have met on that day. As if I had walked earlier in the day ( which was my intention but it was put off because of rain ) or if had worn different shoes I would have never seen them as I wasn’t meant to be there. It felt like it was preordained that we were meant to meet on that day and share our conversation.
It got me to thinking about how these situations occur and the theory of the invisible thread that binds us to others. How it pulls us back in and brings people back to us when we least expect it, as well as it connecting us to people that we are destined to meet in our future.
“An invisible thread connects those who are destined to meet, regardless of time, place, and circumstance. The thread may stretch or tangle. But it will never break.”
Ancient Chinese Proverb
It also made me reflective, as when I thought about everything that has happened to me this year, I realised that everyone I had met gifted me something. You meet, see and experience things that stay with you which then shapes you moving forward.
Looking back at my year it definitely feels like I’ve opened up and become more creative and this has significantly widened my life. As this has happened so many new people have come into my orbit who have the same thoughts, feelings and likes as me. It felt like we were destined to meet as these connections came into my life just when I needed them. It was like my invisible thread was tangled but as its slowly unwound all these wonderful connections began coming in thick and fast.
This felt really salient during my time on my acting course as the people I met there came from all over the world. Destiny brought us together to form our group and the bond that we created in the summer still continues to this day. The experience we all went through changed us deeply and although we have gone our separate ways we are still tied together forever.
When you meet someone new it makes you ask questions and gain new perspectives. It can lead you to a new direction and to explore new options. You can think you are heading towards or wanting one thing but meeting that one person or interacting with them can change the direction of what you are seeking. They can create a difference in your life that leads you to becoming more fulfilled. Causing you to rethink or reframe your behaviours and awareness.
There is a knowing that connects two people when they have gone through a shared experience. It could be something that happened many years ago or something that happened yesterday. No matter when it occurred it is a connection that is forever there for the rest of time. Sometimes you have moments with strangers that you never see again but you remember your interactions with them innately or a moment occurs with a friend or a family member that alters your way of thinking.
Creating a meaningful connection with someone can really help with creating confidence that you can be your true authentic self. It brings you back to your natural state, which can sometimes feel like it’s been so deeply buried behind the persona you have created.
‘Personal connections can be temporary or long lasting. Having distinct kinds of relationships can help us feel fulfilled but having a meaningful connection with someone we can be open and honest with, can significantly help to tackle loneliness, support our wellbeing, and help us build resilience.’ 1
The invisible thread creates moments and ties that benefit us greatly, I believe that the more receptive you become to what the universe is offering you, the more you end up meeting people who make you a better person. They are people that you are always destined to meet and once you let them into your life it changes, it expands and new experiences happen.
Life evolves and so do you.
Have you met someone or a group of people who have changed your life? Have you ever experienced a sliding doors moment? I would love to know :)
https://www.redcross.org.uk/get-help/get-help-with-loneliness/wellbeing-support/building-relationships-maintaining-connections
I love this so much and really do believe we are destined to meet certain people for a variety of reasons. I also think we need to be open to meeting new people and have these conversations and interactions in order to make these precious connections. As well as nurturing current friendships and family connections that is. Thank you, this has brought me a lot of joy!