Alright, so I’ve been messing around with this idea of, like, really connecting with people, you know? Not just the usual “hi, how are you,” but actually seeing them. I called it my “meet each person unexpectedly” experiment. Sounds kinda fancy, but it wasn’t, really.
It started kinda by accident. I was at the grocery store, completely zoned out, thinking about my to-do list. And this older lady, she was struggling to reach something on the top shelf. Normally, I’d probably just keep walking, pretending I didn’t see anything.
But this time, something just clicked. I stopped, and I asked her if she needed help. Simple, right?
She looked up, surprised, and then this huge smile spread across her face. We got the thing down, and then… we just started chatting. About the weather, about the price of avocados, about her grandkids. Nothing major, but it felt… good.
My Little Experiment
So, I decided to keep doing it. Make it a thing. I set a tiny little goal for my week: try to genuinely connect with at least one stranger every day. Not in a creepy way, of course. Just… be present. Be open.
- Day 1: I complimented a barista on her awesome purple hair. She beamed and told me she’d just dyed it.
- Day 2: I held the door open for a guy carrying a huge stack of boxes, and we joked about how he almost became the “leaning tower of pizza boxes.”
- Day 3: I helped an elderly man carry a bag to a taxi,we don’t talk much,but he thanked me with a big smile.
It wasn’t always smooth. Some people were busy, some were grumpy, some probably thought I was weird. But, most of the time? It worked. I got smiles, I heard stories, I felt… connected. Like I was actually part of the world, not just rushing through it.
The biggest thing I learned? People are interesting. Everyone has a story, even if it’s just about their cat or their favorite type of coffee. And taking a few extra seconds to actually see them, to acknowledge their existence… it makes a difference. Both for them, and for me.
It’s not like I’m some kind of social butterfly now. I’m still pretty awkward. But I’m trying. And that feels pretty damn good.
