What if.....?

Sevastopol, Ukraine-Port of Russian Navy 

A few times this week, I've had this strong feeling of "What if..."  As I'm walking, exploring new streets in Ann Arbor, I question.  As I'm driving, getting lost in Ann Arbor, I question more. 

What if my move from Northern Michigan has created an impact?  Is there a physical void where I once took up space there?  Is the space I'm taking up now, changed by me being here?  I'm truly talking about my body taking up space.  My belongings taking up space, where it was once empty.  Is my presence causing a domino affect on others, who have to move aside (just enough for me to be here) to make space?

What if my being here, is the reason another person jumps off a cliff? (referring to the nature of lemmings)  Is there limited room in a community?  Or is it the nature of the community I joined, to step aside, embrace, and adjust, in order for me to be here.

I have felt the negative strength of social groups in the past.  Cliques who shut out anyone seemingly "new".  Were they protecting their space?  Were they protecting their justification for not changing, not growing or learning?  Or is it human nature to keep a community's numbers down?  I don't think so.  I taught first grade for years and saw it as a learned behavior.  Almost a "bullying" behavior.  A way to control and give power to one or two individuals, not the group as a whole.

Gated Thatched Cottage in Connemara, Ireland

So, I'll never know what physical impact I may have by moving here.  I'm hoping I cause more of a personal impact on the community, by sharing myself and my gifts with others. 

I wrote about this line of thinking I was going through, because the weirdest thing happened.  And it helped me make sense of things. I was sorting through papers, organizing, and came across a quote Heidi had hand-written.  She was quoting a person she admires immensely,  Shigeru Miyamoto.  His open-mindedness and creativity was just what I needed to relax and "journey on" not knowing answers.  And better yet, having more questions.  What if...?  What if this quote was waiting for me to find it, to renew my resolve to find the secret door and enter.

                   Born to Play

"What if everything you see is more than what you see-

the person next to you is a warrior and the space that appears empty is a secret door to another world?  What if something appears that shouldn't?  You either dismiss it, or you accept that there is much more to the world than you think.  Perhaps it really is a doorway and if you choose to go inside, you'll find many unexpected things."     

                                                                                         Shigeru Miyamoto

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOOs8MaR1YM   (video about lemmings, from youtube)

http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shigeru_Miyamoto  (short facts on wikipedia about Miyamoto)