The Kindness of a Stranger!
Have you ever met a stranger and had a life changing conversation? Maybe just a few words which give you that AHA moment? You walk away with a new sense of empowerment, thinking WOW.
We have so many opportunities to break the ice, so to speak, and meet and greet someone unknown to us. A smile, a handshake, a hello can be the beginning of a friendship be it for a few hours, a day or lifetime.
Then there are the encounters you connect with straight away that can almost feel too intense. An encounter that allows the intimacy of trust to occur and you can discuss a specific topic or variety of topics as if you have known them for a lifetime, yet you have only just met. However now after sharing your story, the blueprint of who you are, you find their blueprint is so remarkably similar to yours. You can come away from an encounter like this knowing you may never see or hear from this person again, yet you have been changed somehow and in time you realise just how powerful that conversation was. This was the encounter I experienced unexpectedly a few months back that made me ponder writing this.
Can you remember a time maybe in the present or in the past where a stranger gave you maybe an answer to a question that you had been contemplating about for some time? Or a hint and you caught a glimpse of an answer you had been searching for. Where was that AHA moment for you?
We all affect other people and have impact on others as they have on us. Like a flower we do blossom when we are treated with respect and can feel immediately that connection when others are thoughtful, welcoming and accepting. Even when our self-worth is not reliant on what others think, we are still affected by their attitudes and actions. My adventures lead me to different places, area's which allow me to meet many people. Sometimes it's a chat while getting a coffee, walking the beach I always love the smiles and hellos! Meeting friend's and their friend's, family, I really do enjoy people.
Sitting in a Café in Dunedin relaxing and writing this before heading to the airport, reminiscing of the last few days in the South Island, low and behold I met a complete stranger, who was also exploring the South. By just asking for some recommendations of places to visit he sat down, I showed him a local map and an hour later he thanked me for an amazing chat. Turns out we also had a lot in common. Such remarkable timing writing this, the AHA moment, and having the experience also! WOW! It was a pleasure to meet you Edwin, and thank you for the quote you left with me, it is definitely worth sharing
"If people are involved, then no matter the problem, communication will ALWAYS be part of the solution"