My mate came round for dinner this week, and told me a captivating tale

It was a deep dive into the touching truth of human nature.

The backdrop: an eerie pandemic.

The cast: large numbers of Brummies, from far corners of the world.

An epic piece of healthcare logistics turned out to be a cradle for connection, and exploration of everything that matters about life.

As I listened my heart was filled with wonder and appreciation for the characters she vividly described. A mundane work assignment revealed so much about our capacity for understanding, and our common ground.

Online interactions lead us to believe that people are hopelessly polarised. Cut off from each other’s worldviews in artificial bubbles, firmed up by the algorithms.

Instead, given enough time and space, people willingly share, reveal, listen and empathise.

Inspired, I asked her permission to write about her story, and promised not to give too much away

I reassured her I’d keep my description of details minimal. She wants to write a play. It will be beautiful and I can’t wait to see it. We’ve agreed to be each other’s writing accountability buddies.

I’m using this writing challenge to improve my skills in this first month since leaving my union job. After that I’m going to create a course. I’m compelled to find a way to join the dots between the individualised world of personal training, and the next level up. The collective, where the magic happens. I know it can be done.