I wish I could just be this way.

Talking to Strangers

Since the time any tiny human can walk, they are lectured repeatedly, " Do not talk to any strangers." Right? (I remember the first time I walked home from school by myself, and thinking sub-consciously to not even make eye contact with someone I didn't know for fear of a white van magically appearing and the thought of a lost puppy would lour me into that van... thanks Mom).  For the longest time I would be perplexed by strangers just saying "hello", or "how are you" when I would walk past them. As a teenager I would be embarrassed when my parents would just start up a conversation with a random person as if they were family. It is so funny to me now, because I am that person now. Who will crack a random joke, (even though it takes a very special person to understand my humor) I will start talking to them about their children, their dogs, their jobs, their lifestyle. As I have grown older I have realized most of my best friends, mentors, now, were at some point, strangers.


For example, my true soul mate, Lauren, (BFF since 1993) was just another girl at the day care I went to. When kids are in a class room full of little humans, who ARE strangers, they just become friends. They don't ask how old each other are, how much money their parents make, what color their bicycle is, they just start to play. They start to share, and they go into that friendship, with no judgements. They don't know, and don't care to know if Johnny pushed Susie on the play ground yesterday, they just know Johnny as the kid who shared his fruit snacks. I have tried to emulate this into my lifestyle, because a few things.

One: Everyone has a story, more than the story you think you know. I have been slammed with this fact over and over right to the face so many times in the last few years. I do what normal humans do, which is JUDGE. I think, "Oh, they must be this way, because of that." And thankfully I have been proven wrong every single time.

Two: That story that you didn't know about that person? Has a right to be heard. Everyone's story is unique, important, and most of all, not yours to tell.

Chances are what has made my life continue. Chances on dreams. Chances on people. Chances on adventures. Chances.

I gave a chance on a heavy eyed, 6'6, long haired, bearded man about 6 months ago. He was a complete stranger when he told me Happy Birthday. He was a complete stranger when we went to go get drinks and go dancing. He was a stranger when I invited him over to make cupcakes. This stranger was a stranger to my memories, but a familiar story to my future. He intrigued me, he made me feel more comfortable to be myself than anyone's ever made me feel.

He started out as someone who didn't share his heart openly, only through music. We became friends fast, we giggled so much, I felt this kinship with him because we didn't share how we were feeling openly, only through the albums we were feeling spoke the words better than we could. Finally I found someone who has just as big as walls that I had. Had been hurt, was stubborn, was very independent, but terrified of being alone, but all in different ways than I was. This man became my best friend, and then as walls fell, we became an unit.  The last 6 months have been hard, we have experienced death, new jobs, family issues, old wounds, and new wounds. He loves the Lord, his family, and now, me. But the thing about this stranger I met 6 months ago, is he is worth fighting for, and sometimes worth fighting with. All I know is I need this man in my life, and I sure hope he is there for awhile.