There is a strip club next to my apartment that I often walk past.

Over time, I have gotten to know a few of the bouncers. Not that we have ever spoken – we just make eye contact. Initially they stared at me suspiciously, thinking me a customer. But I always walk past, offering a little smile, and the next time we meet, the tension is gone. Now there is a sense of familiarity between us. They know I will never walk in, and I know they will never talk to me. It is our silent agreement.

Tonight, one bouncer that I’ve seen a few times saw me walking back from a run and gave me a little nod. I nodded back, perhaps a little too emphatically. It was a special, silent moment.

Connection is everywhere around us I think.