The Cloak of Invisibility

Another thought on being seen.

Photo by Tuyen Vo on Unsplash

“There are some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.”

―J. K. Rowling in ‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone’

Good things happen when we genuinely connect with another human being. We uncover a bit about another person, and they uncover a bit about themselves.

In this uncovering, we help each other reveal our Ikigai, our purpose, and our calling.

If we are lucky, we uncover a bit about ourselves along the way.

At this point, you may wonder what, if anything, that has to do with Harry Potter.

Books, Books, and More Books

Reading is one of my many passions. At any given time, five books are sitting next to my desk at various states of completion.

Rarely is one of those books a work of fiction.

Now is one of those rare times. I’m reading the first book in the Harry Potter series.

Why Now?

My wife, daughter, and daughter-in-law are fans of the Harry Potter books. They’ve been after me to read them for some time.

In Look Mom, No Hands, we recalled those times in our lives, like riding our bikes without hands for the first time and asking our parents to see us.

We also explored the disappointment of not being seen and how we can feel invisible to those who matter to us.

When someone recommends a book or shares an idea with you, they ask to be seen. That may not be their primary motivation, of course.

Still, they have experienced something and want to share it with you. They want to connect with you and the experience you have as well.

Connecting through Ikigai

When people share their hearts with you, that part of their story also becomes a part of yours.

By reading the book, I’m doing more than honoring their request. I’m honoring our relationship, connection, shared experiences, and Ikigai.

Reading new books or new types of books is a form of exploring.

Explorations like these and other activities for the sake of exploration help reveal 'what's inside you' and shed light on your Ikigai.

Sharing that kind of experience with someone, like reading the same book, reveals what is inside both of you.

And isn’t that a ‘magical’ Ikigai thing?