I’ve succumbed to the land of retail. Yep, I’ve left behind my aversion of the shopping center. And, although it still radiates in my mind as one of America’s cultural downfalls, as well as the kingdom of big business enterprise, I have to humble up in also acknowledging that… if entering its boarders with a correct perspective… it can also be viewed as a melting pot of humanity and individual expression.

In this analysis, I come to a generalized conclusion in proposing a different approach to the mall shopping experience, “We just have to be willing to drop our humanity isolating walls and shopping agendas to take breath in occasionally looking away from the window displays and eating options. And as we do, grant ourselves permission to change our point of reasoning. From time to time allowing a spontaneous gaze away from the climate controlled land of plenty. Redirecting our interest towards the people who are co-travelers in navigating the ambient noise and consistency of shopping center air.”

So yes, I am now OK with the occasional mall visit, and have adapted a new mantra for entering any shopping center, “I do not shop… I wander.”

And with the new weekly reoccurrence of my daughter’s art class on floor one of the Promenade Plaza, you may be reading a few more entries from my shopping center strangers turned friends.

Yes… I have succumbed, but it is not with regrets. It is with full acceptance, for in the midst of the homogenization of consumerism, can be found genius.

I’ll point a finger at myself for the unfair judgment that I have been bearing in my aversion in consumer central. And after today’s meeting I will reframe my outlook. (A note of clarification: I’m not calling myself a genius. The genius is in those I meet).

All people are fascinating – no matter who or where the are. And in every meeting we have shared over the last 259 days, there has been no comment, or point of view that has been mundane.

We’re at the tail end of 365, almost to the two-digit countdown. With this realization, comes the acknowledgement of the eventual end of this first year of 365. In this, one thought keeps looming over my head, “Have we done any good?”

My hope is that we have… And my dream is that we all continue to come together in whatever way we can and wherever we are able to do so.

With this lowering of my emotional curtain, I leave us all another challenge. A challenge that is bearing hard on me to facilitate as I see that 365 year-one will soon be over.

Hear it is… simply, “Readers, we need each other more now than ever… please reach out in getting to know, or at least trying to understand your neighbors. Whenever, wherever and however you can.” And if you accept, I promise you will be pleasantly enlightened.

The world is shrinking, and technology is helping that to happen. But it is not a replacement for human interaction. Never forget, and I ask you that in your own way and however deep you want to reach into your comfort zone, that you help in carrying on the mission of 365, “We are all in this thing together.”

Why am I so pumped up this day? I give credit to the highly educated and compassionate words of single mother of two, Maya. She quotes,

“I’ll share some wisdom I shared with my son recently – The greatest power that we can attain is when let go of the illusion that we are separate from anyone, or even ourselves, or the world… but, that in actuality, we are all connected. There is no separation. All is one in the universe, and that’s a source of great power.

What that means for the world is we’re in a time of enormous change. The world has limited resources, it has real constrains, and we need to be able to respect and honor those resources. And as we respect those limits and constraints, may we be able to change our ways of interacting socially and environmentally in order to promote growth of natural resources and equitable distribution, so that we can all enjoy the abundance that this world has to offer.

Because I predict that in the future… the second part of your question… we’re going to see what is means to be human rapidly change. There will be long term ramifications for technology becoming more living, and for humans becoming more technological.

I see that the world can either benefit from this shift in what it means to be human… or it can suffer. And, that perhaps we will seek other ways of living. But, we should remember that the earth is unique in all of our galaxy as far a we can see, and the universe as a whole.

 Yes… there is slight probabilities that there is life or intelligence elsewhere, but the fact is that life is existing here. It’s precious, and it’s diverse and it’s dynamic. And as much as it can be influenced by our technological advancements as a species, we should also embrace what is natural and what is living. That type of balance I see as going to be one of the major impacts of the future. Our consciousness can evolve as not just a species human, but to a higher conscious of what it means to be part of the living world.”

Maya is fascinating; her thoughts are deep and provoking. Who would have thought that I would meet such a mind in the mall?

In the words of Arnold, “I’ll be back!”

Thanks Maya!