My day included a couple of routine medical procedures. Nothing fun. Well, maybe no medical procedures qualify as fun.

The timing was such that I went straight from a meeting about good listening skills. One of the people in the meeting described it in terms of attention. People do thrive with it. I decided to try.

The woman who checked me in seemed intent on her screen when I asked about her plans for the weekend. Her face brightened, and she told me about what was in store. The exchange was less than two minutes and yet it was enjoyable. 

The technician who interacted with my body in highly personal ways was next. It took only one question to coax her into a monologue about her sons, her yard, and the pollen on her car which makes her sneeze. It was not what you could call deep, and yet she seemed animated as she spoke. Perhaps it broke through the anonymity she is expected to maintain for eight hours. 

The third woman introduced herself to me, and took good care of my needs. She seemed focused so I did not distract her with chatter, but as I left I used her name. She smiled. 

"No one remembers my name!" 

I walked to my car feeling like I had awakened a super power. Giving attention to people, even in these fleeting ways feels like a chance to bring joy. It can spread far and wide, like the pollen in spring. Without the allergies.