Whilst outside in the cold, brushing up leaves this morning, I heard the words, “common denominator” echoing in my mind. I knew that it was being suggested to me that I should write an article on the subject for The Inspired Spirit. But what to write about this subject was still a mystery, until I started this.
I sat at my desk and woke the computer screen from its sleep state. The app that was open on the desktop was WhatsApp. My attention was drawn to the two groups that I’m part of, in particular, the one created for Jane and I and our recent new holiday friends we met in Lanzarote.
It was at that moment, I realised what the connection with that and today’s title was. The more I let my mind open up into creativity mode, the more I realised how this mathematical term means to us in life.
I won’t waste time explaining what a common denominator is, I’m sure you all remember it from the school years. If you don’t, quickly check it out on the internet. It’s words that sound far more complicated than what they mean.
I must confess though, I’m making all of the following words up as I go. I’ve no qualifications as such, though my life experiences count for a whole lot in these later years.
|| THE INTEREST LINK
Our new friends in the Republic of Ireland are fabulous people, and we love knowing them. We met because they were our neighbours from our last villa holiday. We hit it off immediately and spent several nights into the wee small hours chatting and drinking.
They are both Catholics, I’m a Spiritualist. Our chatting included both subjects and were light-hearted and friendly. In those final few days together, we made the easy decision of swapping contact details and Mary (not her real name) suggested starting a WhatsApp group when we all got back to our homes.
For the first few days and weeks, we were messaging each other very frequently about stuff we were involved in. They have sons who are leading racing car drivers in their class. This was something that interested me, so I showed interest.
As the days passed and the holiday faded back into the archives of our memories, the text conversations slowed down. As I looked at the open WhatsApp group title this morning I realised something important. Our common denominator was not so common.
It was of course, our neighbouring villas on our recent holiday that brought us together. That was the common denominator. We don’t live close enough together to meet up occasionally. Our lifestyles are different, as are our personal interests and daily routines. The truth is, without that common denominator, we would most likely have never met and become friends.
I’m not concerned though. There are other aspects of our lives that will keep us as friends, and one day we might well share more time together on our paradise island. We are friends and will continue to be, at least I hope so. Other not-so-common denominators will work to keep us together. I’m half Irish and could apply for an Irish passport. We all love Lanzarote. I gave them evidence-packed readings. There’s three more common denominators!
|| WHAT IS OUR COMMON DENOMINATORS
You , reading this, and me, writing it. What unites us as friends? Perhaps you’d like to stop reading for a moment or two and give it some thought. If you want, you can share your thoughts in the comments below. I know what you’ll likely say!
The more you give thought to friendship common denominators, the more you’ll realise that without them being present, some friendships would be stretched. The common denominators are there, but you might have to think about what they are.
|| WHY MIGHT THIS BE IMPORTANT IN OUR MEDIUMSHIP?
During my time as a medium, more often than not, I have found that those connecting with me from the spirit world have revealed a common denominator. They mention a hobby, a pastime, or an interest they had that I can relate to.
They might share a habit or a way of living I might understand. They might talk to me about cars of their era, descriptions of their homes and details I could relate to, such as gardening, DIY, etc.
I like it when I find a common denominator from the connection. I feel it strengthens the temporary relationship. They’re not always going to be obvious, but when we consider the words us mediums use, we can tell when we’ve found a common denominator. The medium that declares, “I like this person,” or “I would have got on with her/him”. That’s a subtle sign that unknowingly, the medium has bonded through a common denominator.
This is an interesting tool we could store in our mental toolkit. Ask the person in the spirit world, “What would you and I have had in common?” or similar, “Do you believe you would have related to me when you were this side, and if so, why?”
The worst case could be that there wouldn’t have been any obvious common denominators. Fair enough - nothing lost in trying to find one though?
|| USING COMMON DENOMINATORS
Whether for the work we do as mediums, or in everyday life, seeking the common denominators between us and the other person is a useful tool for creating a relationship. Often, these links will be obvious, while occasionally, the link may need to be worked out. But it’s a wonderful people skill to have and to be aware of.
Think about it for a moment as we wrap this article up. Outside of our shared interest in working with the spirit world, what common denominators joins you and I? There are many, I am sure, but which common denominators comes to mind?
One final thought. Do you recall what the opening graphic in this article read? Now scroll back to the beginning and read it again.
Be brave, and share our common denominator in the comments below.
Reading your words is always a treat.
Another wonderful article. True friendship is very hard to find these days. It is an honour to be able to call you a friend. I can think of five common denominators that connect us and I am sure there are more. Your friend Jon