this was so beautiful, the intimacy of a stranger telling you he doesn't have a best friend made me tear up (at my desk in my office where i also feel like everyone can hear me chewing, hahah).
I know right! also touched that he felt comfortable enough with me to tell me that :') also omg thank you for saying that I thought I was weird for thinking about chewing like that lol
I love this so much! It’s so eye opening speaking to strangers and experiencing diverse perspectives! One of my favorite conversations was with a store owner in Morocco who was telling me about how his parents pressure him to get a law degree but all he really truly wants to do is run the store and meet/speak to people from all around the world. Our conversation taught me a lot about pursuing happiness and I couldn’t be more grateful for him spending the time to speak to me!
what a sweet conversation! and so rare to hear people say they don't want to do the big job that everyone thinks is so great but something a little quieter and "smaller" that feels right for them :')
Yes, once I went thrift shopping with my sister and her friend, and her (quite social and upbeat) friend charmed everyone in the store! 😂 It was surreal seeing people of all ages who used to be strangers chatting on the couches, saying goodbyes, etc, shortly after I arrived about 10 minutes after they did. There really are very kind, interesting people out there, and if we tried to get to know each other on a whim, we can make memorable experiences out of mundane ones. Sweet article
yes exactly! and I feel like finding these genuinely kind and interesting people can counteract all the bad we see online! thank you for reading🥰 also coming to terms with the fact I'll never be as charming as your sister's friend she sounds iconic tbh
I actually strike up long conversations with strangers quite frequently! In fact, I often go to local cafes just for that purpose. I'll sit down and when someone sits next to me, I'll ask them what they got to drink and if it's any good or what they're studying or working on or what article in the paper they're reading has most interested them on that day. I've ended up having literally *hundreds* of really deep and meaningful conversations with total strangers start out that way. Sometimes the person becomes a new acquaintance or friend, other times we go our separate ways and never see each other again but are both just left with a pleasant memory of the conversation (hopefully). I really love doing this, because in extending my own vulnerability and openness to strangers, they typically feel safe to be more vulnerable and open with me as well. And I love that moment, because I love making people feel heard, seen, and safe to be themselves fully, even if I *am* just an ordinary stranger listening to their story. I hope that feeling, that willingness to share and be themselves with their community, is something I've given to my own broader community of strangers that they can take with them. I also love complementing strangers to their face when I notice something nice about them. I'll walk right up to them and tell them, "oooh, I love your dress, that's a lovely shade on you!" or "wow, you have a really pretty laugh" or "oh, you're such a cute couple together!" I only do it when I have a genuine compliment, but I like to think it's a little thing I can do to make my community a kinder, gentler safe haven for all kinds of people.
at the risk of being a stick-in-the-mud, the experiences you shared are influenced heavily by location, In the country where I live it's rare to engage in a conversation with a random stranger that will not include the repeated mentions of the christian god or how "the lgbt community is an international tool created to destroy the world". my primary mode of transportation is public so trust me, there's nothing I haven't heard. Most people hold and share deeply myopic opinions that disinterest me. The few times I have engaged in conversations, I've left them feeling drained and irritated because they weren't conversations but interrogations: "i've never met a young woman who thinks like this" "why wouldn't you believe in god? so who do you worship?". Imagine talking about astrology! lol. Unfortunately, i will not be stepping out of my comfort zone to talk to random strangers. I enjoyed reading your writing, thank you for sharing it.
oh gosh that's such a shame :( it will definitely depend on where you are. hopefully you can live somewhere surrounded by some more open minded people in the future 🫶🏾
this was so beautiful, the intimacy of a stranger telling you he doesn't have a best friend made me tear up (at my desk in my office where i also feel like everyone can hear me chewing, hahah).
I know right! also touched that he felt comfortable enough with me to tell me that :') also omg thank you for saying that I thought I was weird for thinking about chewing like that lol
I love this so much! It’s so eye opening speaking to strangers and experiencing diverse perspectives! One of my favorite conversations was with a store owner in Morocco who was telling me about how his parents pressure him to get a law degree but all he really truly wants to do is run the store and meet/speak to people from all around the world. Our conversation taught me a lot about pursuing happiness and I couldn’t be more grateful for him spending the time to speak to me!
what a sweet conversation! and so rare to hear people say they don't want to do the big job that everyone thinks is so great but something a little quieter and "smaller" that feels right for them :')
Yes, once I went thrift shopping with my sister and her friend, and her (quite social and upbeat) friend charmed everyone in the store! 😂 It was surreal seeing people of all ages who used to be strangers chatting on the couches, saying goodbyes, etc, shortly after I arrived about 10 minutes after they did. There really are very kind, interesting people out there, and if we tried to get to know each other on a whim, we can make memorable experiences out of mundane ones. Sweet article
yes exactly! and I feel like finding these genuinely kind and interesting people can counteract all the bad we see online! thank you for reading🥰 also coming to terms with the fact I'll never be as charming as your sister's friend she sounds iconic tbh
I love this idea - so many of us feel lonely, and an unexpected pleasant conversation can really be such a bright spot in your day :)
it can really make all the difference <3
I actually strike up long conversations with strangers quite frequently! In fact, I often go to local cafes just for that purpose. I'll sit down and when someone sits next to me, I'll ask them what they got to drink and if it's any good or what they're studying or working on or what article in the paper they're reading has most interested them on that day. I've ended up having literally *hundreds* of really deep and meaningful conversations with total strangers start out that way. Sometimes the person becomes a new acquaintance or friend, other times we go our separate ways and never see each other again but are both just left with a pleasant memory of the conversation (hopefully). I really love doing this, because in extending my own vulnerability and openness to strangers, they typically feel safe to be more vulnerable and open with me as well. And I love that moment, because I love making people feel heard, seen, and safe to be themselves fully, even if I *am* just an ordinary stranger listening to their story. I hope that feeling, that willingness to share and be themselves with their community, is something I've given to my own broader community of strangers that they can take with them. I also love complementing strangers to their face when I notice something nice about them. I'll walk right up to them and tell them, "oooh, I love your dress, that's a lovely shade on you!" or "wow, you have a really pretty laugh" or "oh, you're such a cute couple together!" I only do it when I have a genuine compliment, but I like to think it's a little thing I can do to make my community a kinder, gentler safe haven for all kinds of people.
the world simply needs more lilas :') thank you for sharing, this was so lovely to read! I hope you never stop doing this
at the risk of being a stick-in-the-mud, the experiences you shared are influenced heavily by location, In the country where I live it's rare to engage in a conversation with a random stranger that will not include the repeated mentions of the christian god or how "the lgbt community is an international tool created to destroy the world". my primary mode of transportation is public so trust me, there's nothing I haven't heard. Most people hold and share deeply myopic opinions that disinterest me. The few times I have engaged in conversations, I've left them feeling drained and irritated because they weren't conversations but interrogations: "i've never met a young woman who thinks like this" "why wouldn't you believe in god? so who do you worship?". Imagine talking about astrology! lol. Unfortunately, i will not be stepping out of my comfort zone to talk to random strangers. I enjoyed reading your writing, thank you for sharing it.
oh gosh that's such a shame :( it will definitely depend on where you are. hopefully you can live somewhere surrounded by some more open minded people in the future 🫶🏾
i hope so too 🤞🏾
this is so sweet! I bet they remember you too :') also supermarket chats i feel like are guaranteed to always be pleasant