Beautifully Small

A few months ago, I found a quiet place alone to wait for the sunset on the Avenue of the Baobabs. Two women approached me and asked if we could take a photo together. “Because we are so different”, they said. Through limited language and lots of smiles, we marveled together at the difference in our skin tone, each admiring the other for perceived beauty. And while we marveled at our difference, we also shared an overwhelming appreciation for our similarity. We each have this photo, and a recollection of a shared moment in time. We’ll likely not cross paths again, these women and I, but from many miles away, we will always share a small connection. There are days the world feels almost hopelessly big. And then there are the moments that it feels beautifully small.