talk to strangers · acknowledge strangers with a nod of the head or half-hearted smile. adults...

Over a decade ago I met a very special person. When we first

met, I asked him what he did for a living. His response to me

was that he was simply an observer of human behavior. I

really connected with that as a job description and decided to

adopt it for my own personal and professional life. After

spending ten plus years as an observer of human behavior, I’ve

noticed an enormous pattern in that most adults rarely talk to

strangers.

I’ve spent seven of those ten years paying close attention to

observing the human behavior of children. The differences

I’ve observed between adults and children when it comes to

interacting with strangers, is astounding.

One time, while waiting in line to use a public restroom, a

three-year-old girl who I had never seen before, made eye

contact with me and asked if I wanted to hear her sing. My

response was “Sure!” and away she sang. When she finished

we had a lengthy conversation about music and how much she

loves to sing. I’ve witnessed hundreds of children who can’t

resist having a chat with complete strangers, adults and other

children alike. I’ve concluded that children more often display

their innate and authentic interest in other human beings.

As a child, I, like many children, was taught to never talk to

strangers and to be very fearful of strangers. Based on my

observations, most of us carry this caution with us through

adulthood. However, I often wonder what life would be like if

adults were as friendly to complete strangers as children often

are.

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Talk To Strangers

There is much for us to learn here. Think about the last time

you stood in line at the bank or grocery store with complete

strangers. Did you strike up a conversation with the stranger

standing next to you? My guess is, likely not. And it might not

have even occurred to you to do so. At most, adults

acknowledge strangers with a nod of the head or half-hearted

smile. Adults effortlessly walk through their days often not

even really seeing the strangers who pass through their lives,

carrying with them the caution that they should never talk to

strangers.

So my question for you is this: How different would this world

be if all human beings allowed their innate and authentic

curiosity for other human beings to be part of every day? How

would your life be different? What kind of place would our

world be if everyone took this approach? Want to find out?

Try it for a day! Talk to strangers! I’m not saying to be na–ve

and to make poor choices. I’m suggesting that you try out

assuming positive intentions of others and pave the way to be

interested in a stranger.

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