#335 Catching someone you love admiring you from across the room

Neil Pasricha

Baby, it’s true.

Toss your mushy clump of skin, blood, and bones together and we get the beautifully strange and wonderful package that combines to form you. Jokes and smarts, stutters and starts, smile and farts — we’re into your everything even though we probably don’t tell you enough.

But that’s why it’s a beautiful moment when you glance up from the party chatter or kitchen clatter and catch someone you love smiling silently at you from across the room.

Maybe it’s the dog head-tilting from the couch as you race to grab your keys and run out the door all stressed, maybe it’s your daughter sneaking a peek in the bathroom mirror as you zip up your dress, or maybe it’s your grandma smiling with wet eyes as you stick your hands in the cake making a big fat mess.

Maybe it’s your little brother smiling silently from the stands as you come up to home plate, maybe it’s your mom waiting at the train station for you to come through the gate, or maybe it’s your boyfriend bumping at the back of the bus at the end of the date.

When you catch those quick and quiet glances let your heart melt and feel at peace because you just got told without words that you are admired, you are loved… and you are

AWESOME!

Photos from: here, here, here, and here

61 thoughts to “#335 Catching someone you love admiring you from across the room”

  1. “When you catch those quick and quiet glances let your heart melt and feel at peace because you just got told without words that you are admired, you are loved… ” Beautifully said and so true. This has just moved up to the #1 spot on my awesome things list.

  5. “Catching someone you love admiring you from across the room,”
    it’s felt deep within the soul, from the top of the head to the tip of the toes… in the core of your being, capillaries and cells,
    spinal fluid gets bubbly, and your essence candles…
    your heart-beat is stronger, PUM-PUM, PUM-PUM,
    and someone stirred this up in you, with their look of love!
    Thank you for a truly special post.

  7. Addendum: And a great reminder to give those looks of adoration to those we love more often!

  8. Awesome!
    I uploaded my christmas photos on the computer, and suddenly saw this look on my parents faces, on this photo that showed me opening their special gift to me…. I was speechless, and now you so perfectly describe this feeling, awesome!!

  9. Oh yes. Yes yes yes. I don’t have children yet but when I do I think one of the sweetest moments for me will be when my lil guy or gal looks at me and smiles that gummy baby grin. :)

  10. I’m always admiring hubby from across the room. Watching the way he concentrates while playing a video game, seeing a smile slowly creep across his face when he’s watching something funny on tv, watching him and my daughter play….. but whenever he catches me looking at me, he says, “Stop staring at me!”

  12. The title itself put a smile on my face. So wonderfully said. If the feeling is mutual, it just cannot be described in words. It’s like in HEAVEN! Your confidence boosts, you’ll be soaring high and you’ll be singing…”what a wonderful world”

  13. This one took my breath away, as it’s so true, and I have had that moment not to long ago.. and your right it’s awesome, and at that one moment, there is no one in that crowded room but you and your loved one…

  21. this is pretty personal for me because when i got one of those looks it was 14 years ago. that boy who was admiring me from across the room is now my husband!

  23. Watching your TED talk now. AWESOME!!

    I was feeling pretty sucky today (unusual for me; I tend to be one of those people who laugh when everything goes opposite of planned/hoped) so it was an awesome time for the link to your talk to appear in my fb list.

    Thanking your parents was double-awesome.
    “olives with pie”… lol!

  24. I’m 17 and live with just my mom, and we’re very close. We’ve been apart for two weeks – the longest ever – since she went on a trip to revisit her childhood home in another country. Tomorrow I pick her up at the airport. This has gotten me teary-eyed as I think about us finally seeing each other after so long. It will be a great reunion. Thank you for this perfectly-timed post and for this awesome blog!

  25. This one made me cry! Sooo sweet and the best on to date. Thank you.
    ps. I also LOVE that you are a fellow Canadian, eh?

  28. I’m looking forward to that! (((chuckles))) Lovely post [maybe except for the fart – grin]

  29. Pingback: #335 Catching someone you love admiring you from across the room (via 1000 Awesome Things) | Ang Toro

  30. Neil,

    Last night I saw a man look at his wife with such love and respect in his eyes, It almost brought me to tears…I walked over to them in the gllary we are at and asked them how long they had been together, 53 years…wow!

    We chatted for a few moment and I asked them what their secret was… they looked at each other, he gently tapped her arm and leaned into me to whisper…”lots of nookie!” they both giggled. I was so inspired and moved by their joyfulness after 53 years… I pray we can all have that type of joyful love in our lives…

  31. Pingback: osomoto

  32. I am a newcomer to the site, and I am extremely happy that the very first post I have ever read here is about what I consider one of the most AWESOME things when it happens to me.
    And the way you put it is equally delicate and lovely.
    Thank you…=)

  33. Came across your site through your TED talk. Awesome talk. Very inspirational. Very “authentic”. Life is fleeting. Life is awesome. I’m glad you get it and can articulate it so well.

  34. Pingback: Awesome « The Pinocchio Theory

  36. one of my all-time favorites :) this is the greatest feeling in the world. I love when I’m at a party and I look up to see one of my friends giving me a tiny little smile from across the room. those little smiles mean so much more than any words ever could.

  37. Thankyou for this. I have just realised i often catch my husband doing it at parties when I’m socialising away from him , when we’re playing with our family or even when i’ve just woken up. It makes me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world, a real feat :-)

    2. I know the feeling. My husband does this sometimes when we’re out in public, like in a store, and everyone else in the room fades away for just that one moment.

  38. My girl friend does this to me and I melt. So true and so sweet. The world needs to love more, pass it on let someone know you love them too.

  45. I always catch a guy in one of my classes staring at me but I never say anything cause I think that it might make him stop. :)

  47. Awesome !!!
    the feeling that you are the one watch or admire is awesome…
    lovely post,
    thank you

  48. I don’t remember catching anyone, at least anyone that I know, looking at me with a smile on their face. It may have happened many times, but I did’nt catch it. What could be the same or give you that same awesome feeling is, being at a function, and it could be of any kind, arriving there and feeling kind of out of place, not knowing whether to stay or not, and just when you feel it’s about time to leave and you have only just been there 20 minute or so, you feel a tap on your shoulder, and he or she says, hi my name is…. I saw you come in and I thought it would be nice to meet you! after that phrase, you kind of change your mind and decide to stay a while longer, because, now you are not alone, that is an awesome feeling.. OR to receive an email from a far away friend, just in the moment that you are going through troubled times, and it makes you feel grand that you were being thought of, it warms your heart and puts a smile on your face and for a while everything is ok.

  50. I had a really strong sense this is when you met Leslie…am I right???
    I can’t help myself.
    have you seen Gary or Wally?

Comments are closed.