The People Place

"That pain you're feeling, above your stomach? That's your people place. It's hurting because it's growing to allow more people inside. The more people you know and the more people you love, the larger your people place will grow."

"But Mama Ella, what's a people place?"

"It's that place where you hold all the people that mean something to you. Once someone is in your people place, they never leave you, no matter what."

~Abridged summary from Wrapped in Rain by Charles Martin




The above is from my favorite author of all time. Charles Martin is very real and very talented at expressing the state of simply being human. This comment about the "people place" goes through my mind almost daily. What a perfect way to explain the feelings that we experience from loving other human beings!

Last night, I was thinking about "the people place". Yes, it grows as we grow, and more people are added, sometimes without our even realizing how deep the connection we have with the other person. But what about those people that have faded out of our life stories? Do they still occupy the people place?

I think this thought vein came about from a dream I had last night. It was slightly terrifying, I can't explain why. I was in a garden, with lots of green and flowers and light. I was dressed up and didn't really know why. As I looked around, I realized that I was at a funeral. When I got closer to the crowd, I figured out who the funeral was for: a boy that had been my friend years ago. The dream went on with pointless, remedial details, but when I woke up, I was sobbing into my pillow. I haven't even thought of this guy in ages. We used to be really good friends, and had hung out a lot. But life happened, and we have since grown apart. And yet, when I woke up from that dream, I realized how sad and hurting I would be if I knew that he wasn't around anymore. And if I was that heartbroken over the thought of not having a friend around that was just a small blip on the canvas of my people place, how much more would it hurt if I lost those who have helped write whole chapters of my life story, have essentially taught my about people places and what it means to love?

The thought made my people place simply throb.

I guess my summary of this ramble of thoughts I've been chewing on all day is this: If somebody has meant something to you, in any time of your life or any mild circumstance, they become a part of you forever. I bet if you started a chart right now of the most important people in your life, for all your life, you would never be able to finish because the number of people you love and who love you in return is greater than you would ever believe. On the other side of this, try to think of all the people who would give you a spot in their people place. People might not always show how much of an impact you have had on their world.

So, let's treat others with kindness. People places easily feel the pain of human emotion, and you never know who's people place you may occupy.

And let those people in your people place know how much you care as well. Let your people place grow and grow, for that is the way to truly live.